Cecilia Mae Clark

Cecilia (Cel) Mae Clark entered eternal life in the presence of both of her daughters and her husband at dawn on Sunday July 21, 2024.
Cecilia was born June 29, 1941 in Milan, MI, the daughter of the late Glenn and Marie (LaPrairie) Simpkins. She graduated from Milan High School in 1959. She attended Central Michigan University and graduated with a degree in Education in 1964.
Cecilia married Thomas Leroy Clark at the Central Michigan University Chapel on August 15, 1964. The couple initially resided in Sage Lake Michigan, before moving to their life long home on a beautiful farm (named "Blue Rose Heaven") several miles north of Hale, Michigan in 1969. Cecilia and Tom raised their 3 children on this property. Cecilia, having been an Elementary Educator in the Hale Area Schools in the 1960's, focused on developing a lively Co-operative Nursery School program that operated in the large basement which Tom converted into a classroom/activity center. Eventually she would operate this program at the Hale Methodist Church before returning to public education as a Kindergarten teacher for Hale Area Schools. She retired from public education in 2005.
Cecilia was known to her friends and family for her passionate activities and hobbies. She was an accomplished canner, producing hundreds of jars each year filled with cherries, soups, beets and apple sauce to name a few-no relative or guest ever left a meal without something awesome from one of those jars. Cecilia loved antiques, a passion she shared with her dear friend Carol Campbell, and throughout the 1970's and 80's she would crisscross the state looking for pieces to restore and place in her farmhouse. Cecilia loved flowers and butterflies and maintained butterfly gardens throughout the property-she also raised Monarch butterflies with generations of nursery and elementary school students for release. Cel was active for years in a weekly prayer group at Hale Methodist Church. After retirement, Cel and Tom volunteered each winter, near her sister Liz, at State and National Parks in Florida. She was a Girl Scout Troop Leader for years. Cel compiled extensive histories of both the Simpkins and Clark families, and provided these in book form to her relatives. Cel loved conversing on the phone, and kept in contact with her friends and family sitting at her alcove in the dining room, often for several hours each night.
In 1994 Tom experienced a disabling stroke, and Cel began what would be 3 decades of care-giving and companionship. As a couple they continued to travel, made pottery together for many years, and enjoyed frequent visits with a growing number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As members of the Methodist Church of Hale Michigan, they continued a lifelong fellowship that began in the early 1960's.
She is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, Thomas Clark; son Brent (Denise) Clark of Ishpeming, MI; daughter Cathy (Rod) Bragg of Gaylord, MI and daughter Sherri Clark of Hale, MI; 12 Grandchildren, Carey (Katelyn) Bragg, Kate Clark, Anastasia (David) Brish, Elijah Bragg, Jacob Clark, Isaiah (Ashley) Bragg, Seth Bragg, Micah Bragg, David Bragg, Zakiya Bragg, Jesse Bragg and Karter Bragg; as well as great-grandchildren, Bridget Bragg, Colette Bragg, Rita Bragg, Mary Rose Bragg, Joseph Brish, and Sylvia Brish.
Cecilia and Tom both came from close, loving families of 7 children. She is survived by brothers Tom (Louise) Simpkins, and George (Patti) Simpkins, Sister Elizabeth (Larry) McComis, and Sister-In-Law Pamela (David) Simpkins, with an earlier loss of siblings David Simpkins, Glenda Simpkins, and John Simpkins, and of Brother-In-Law Larry McComis. She is survived by Tom's sisters, Marcia (Dan) Mayo, and Marilyn (Al) Runyan, with an earlier loss of Brother-In-Law, Al Runyan, and of Tom's sister, Barbara (Gus) Barnum, and brothers, Edward (Virginia) Clark, Buck (Eleanor) Clark, and Pete Clark.
She is also survived by an almost innumerable number of dear former colleagues, lifelong friends, neighbors, dozens of nieces and nephews, and former students.
The family would like to thank Dr. Joseph Vanderveen of McLaren Health Care for 30 years of attentively assisting Cel with the recovery and care requirements of her husband, in addition to her own medical needs.