Woodward County Obituary
Elmwood Cemetery

© Billings Funeral Home
WOODWARD, WOODWARD CO, OK
(permission granted)
Submitted by: Ann Weber

MINNIE CLARK

28 Apr 1923 - 4 Jan 2015

Funeral: 11:00 AM Friday, January 9th, 2015 - Billings Funeral Home Chapel

Interment: Friday, January 9th, 2015 - Elmwood Cemetery

Minnie Iola Albin Clark of Selman, Oklahoma, left this world January 4, 2015 at Grace Living Center in Buffalo, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, January 9, 2015 at the Billings Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Minnie Iola Albin was the 4th of six children born to Ralph and Lucy (Barton) Albin on April 28, 1923 near Selman, Oklahoma. She went to school and graduated at Selman where she met and later married her childhood sweetheart, Fred Stone Clark. To this union four children were born: Fred Stone Clark II, Zelma Lucy, Chuck Wayne, and Gail Dean “Gus”. Minnie and Fred made their home near Freedom when they started out then moved to South Coffeyville, Oklahoma where they raised their family. Minnie was a homemaker and right hand to her husband, helping him with farming, ranching, and even worked with him on the drilling rig for years. Minnie was an exceptional cook and baker. She fed her family with home produce from her garden, and fresh milk, cream and butter from her Brown Swiss cow. Minnie raised chickens, turkeys, ducks and rabbits as well as the milk cow’s calf to provide food for the family. She and Fred did their own butchering and meat processing. She spent summers gathering all the black berries, strawberries, mulberries, plums and fresh fruit she could freeze or put up in jellies and jams. When asked her occupation she always stated “General Flunky”.

Minnie was always generous with her cooking and provided lots of baked items as gifts to the school teachers, family and neighbors in need. No one ever went hungry from her table. Some Sundays she never knew how many she would be feeding before she got it on the table and sometimes she had to go to her pantry and open another jar or two but she always made everyone welcome.

Minnie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her four sisters: Beulah England, Alice Carpenter, Sadie Sims and June Jordan. Her brother Earnest Albin, four brothers-in-law: Clem England, Winston Carpenter, Clifford Sims and Ed Jordan.

She is survived by her daughter, Zelma and partner Paul Gabler II of Selman, three sons, Gail Clark and wife Diana of Selman, Fred Clark II and wife Irene of Wilburton, Chuck Clark and wife Lorrie of Durant. She also had what she called her “other daughters” Eva and husband Harrold Mussman of Guymon; Deloris Marlow Walker of South Coffeyville, Oklahoma; grandchildren, David Clark and wife Esther of Anaheim, California; Pamela Dotson and husband Robert of Lenapah; Melissa Hancock and husband Shawn of Guthrie; Toma Haynes and husband B.J. of Germany; Nathan Clark of Tulsa; Alan Phillippe and wife Chrystal of Waco, Texas; Levi Clark and wife Shannon of Buffalo; Casey Gulley and husband Eric of Woodward; Sheila Steadman and husband Tommy of Sharon; Dawna Russell and husband Richard of Selman; Lisa and husband Danny Booth and Renay Freeback of Augusta, Kansas; “other Grandchildren” Jasper Mussman of Guymon; Helen Foster and husband Steve of Haven, Kansas; and Mark Bradt; Wayland and Jessica Booth and Natali Booth of Augusta, Kansas; great-grandchildren, Jessie, Dalton and Billy Dotson of Lenapah; Gabriel Hancock of Guthrie; Tessa Bayne and husband Vinton of Oklahoma City, Kyrra, Lizzy, Jazlyn, and Journey Hancock of Guthrie; Tessa Bayne and husband Vinton of Oklahoma City; Rhidge and Josie Philippe of Waco, Texas; Addison, Lathan and Paisley Clark of Buffalo; Catlin and Emily Gulley of Woodward; Haden and Katelyn Steadman of Sharon; Tyrel and Samuel Underhill of Sharon; Braaland and Baylor Booth of Wichita, Kansas; “other Great-grandchildren” Derrick Hull and Heidi Foster of Haven, Kansas; Andrea and Marlo Barnhart and Carrie Walker of South Coffeyville, Oklahoma; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Faith Hospice with the funeral home accepting the contributions.