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Obituary of Joan Clark

Obituary of Joan Clark
Name of Deceased Joan Clark
Date of Death 01/14/2016
Date of Birth 02/14/1921
Funeral Home Wetzler Funeral Service, Inc.

Joan (she’d tell you right away that her name is pronounced Jo-Ann!) Heath Clark passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on January 14, 2016 at Brookline in State College, Pa. Joan was a creative entrepreneur who dabbled in many things that interested her over the years. She was also well known for her feisty spirit and willingness to help everyone she encountered.

Joan was born on February 14, 1921, to Paul and Vivien Heath in Franklin, Pa. She graduated from Franklin High School in 1939. She started working in the Franklin City engineering office and for Franklin Plastics. She intended to go to PSU but her father was hit by a car and Joan began running her father’s grocery store while he recovered. During WW2, she corresponded with 24 high school soldiers. She studied horticulture at PSU and on spring weekend in 1947 met her husband Rollin (Rolly) Vaughn Clark on a blind date at his Alpha Phi Omega fraternity party. They were married on August 23, 1947 in a “Colonial” wedding. Joan was on the PSU Women’s Championship Rifle Team. She also became a pilot at the PSU Flying Club and loved flying a Piper Cub!!!

Joan started a wedding shop which she had for 50+ years and was very involved with cake decorating, gardening, photography, and candy making. Linda (of Brevard, NC) and Denny (of Clarksburg, WVa) were born. Joan was active in the Boy Scouts, supporting Rolly who was the District Executive of the Boy Scouts, by leading Denny’s cub pack and Linda’s Brownie troop29. Joan went back to PSU and received a degree in Human Development in 1966. For several years she taught special education. Joan was Rolly enjoyed traveling, camping, their three weeks each year at Treasure Lake and local activities at the Elk club as well as Ham Radio. She continued the wedding shop and remained very interested in gardening and teaching knitting. In 2007 she knitted 600 pairs of mittens for Elk’s for local children. Joan recently lived at Wellspring at Juniper and in Axemann for forty plus years prior. It was recently discovered she was amazingly still knitting mittens for children.

She was preceded in death by her husband Rolly and her sister Paige Lorenzi. Her children survive her along with three grandchildren and two great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery joining her husband. Donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation. Arrangements are under the direction of Wetzler Funeral Service, Inc. in Bellefonte. Online condolences may be made to the family at Wetzlerfuneralhome.com.