Sherma May Clark

Sherma May Stanger Clark
Born: 8 January 1932 in Unity, Idaho
Died: 30 May 2025 Lindon, Utah
Passed at age 93
3 children, 13, grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren.
Sherma was born in a small farmhouse in Unity, Idaho which is about 2 miles southeast of Burley and near the banks of the Snake River. She was the third child born to Charles Earl Stanger and Hazel Mabel Draney. Sherma had an older sister, Elaine, an older brother Charles, and a younger brother, Harold.
Sherma's mother had a friend named Sherma and was named after her. Her dad called Sherma Tiny, and her friends called her Sherm.
While Sherma was still young, the family moved from Unity to another farm in View, Idaho, which is about eight miles southeast of Burley, into a small three-room home. The home was without indoor bathroom facilities, so an outhouse accommodated such needs. Their "refrigerator" was also outside and consisted of a tall wooden box filled with ice blocks and wrapped in burlap with a burlap curtain hanging down in front of it.
Sherma's parents were loving and kind and took the family camping, picnicking, and boating. They all worked together to make the farm a wonderful place to live and play.
Sherma pitched in helping her mother with the house and the big garden, and also helping her dad with the crops. Her dad taught her to hoe weeds, and harvest beets and potatoes. Her dad also taught her to drive a truck in the fields as they harvested beets and potatoes. It was much work, shelling peas, husking corn, picking strawberries, raspberries, and preparing the vegetables for eating and canning. Being the daughter of a farmer was hard work but was very rewarding and Sherma was never sorry for being a farmer's daughter.
At that time, the 8th grade was combinbed with the high school in Burley, so a bus picked her up in front of her little farmhouse. In high school, Sherma was active in the choir pep club, and she took one lesson in golf from the local golf pro. She also loved running in track meets and being able to outrun all the girls and all the boys except one boy who was a sprinter on the track team.
It was in the eighth grade that Sherma met a handsome boy named Jack Clark who was in the ninth grade. They dated through high school but not steady until Sherma was in her senior year. The couple were married on June 23, 1950, soon after she graduated from High school. They were married in a civil ceremony and later sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on December 29.
They welcomed their oldest child and only son Jerry, July 9, 1953. Sherma recorded that "We had the great privilege of having our children Jerry, Jan, and Julie sealed to us for all time and eternity as well. What a blessing in our lives this has been to know that the love we have for each member of our family will go on in this life and in the life to come. I do believe that the love of family is the greatest blessing."
Jack was discharged from the Air Force in October 1956, The couple welcomed their daughter Jan who was born in Long Island New York in March 2, 1955.
On the drive back to Burley, Idaho, Sherma felt some pain in her right leg and foot. At first, they thought perhaps it was the flu, so the next day she saw a doctor who then sent her to a doctor in Twin Falls as it seemed to be getting worse. It was there that Sherma was diagnosed with polio. She was required to spend a month in theTwin Falls hospital and when released from the hospital, she recuperated at her mother's home while waiting to move into their new home with young Jerry and Jan. Her battle with Polio made it very difficult to do the ordinary requirements of motherhood. Her Legs were not functioning, and to walk was incredibly difficult. One experience Jack recalled was Sherma having to slide out of bed, crawl on her stomach using primarily her arms to get to the kitchen. Having arrived in the Kitchen, she had to reach up and grab the counter top to pull herself up to a standing position.
After two comfortable years in Burley, complete with a clothes washer inside and a clothesline in the backyard, Jack thought the young family could have a better lifestyle by moving to California because of the warmer climate.
Salaries for teachers were quite a bit higher in California than in Idaho so in August 1958 the Clarks left for California landing in Stockton where Jack started a job in Stockton at a junior high school. Their daughter Julie was born on October 13, 1960 not long after they were in California and their family was complete.
Sherma served faithfully in her callings throughout her life. She was mainly in the Primary Organization and various callings in the Relief Society. Because of her patience and long suffering Jack became active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sherma was an Avon representative for many years. Her grandchildren have fond memories of taking Avon deliveries around to the friends and neighbors.
In 2004, they moved to Orem, Utah so Sherma could be closer to her older sister Elaine.
Jack passed away in October 2024, her sweetheart, and spent the last seven months in an assisted living center.
Sherma is survived by her three children, Jerry, Jan and Julie.
The funeral will be held at Walker Sanderson Mortuary on June 21, 2025. The viewing is from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, followed by an open house celebration of her life from 10:00am -.11:00 am. Graveside service will follow at 11:30 am at the Orem City Cemetery.