Edith Elizabeth Clark, 96

Edith Elizabeth Clark, 96, of Cheney, Wash., passed away of natural causes in Cheney, Wash., on Nov. 25, 2009.

Edith was born to Avilo and Minnie Butolph in Upton, Wyo., on March 24, 1913, the fifth child of 13. Of that family, only Edith’s youngest sister, Nancy Zerbst of Newcastle, Wyo., survives her.

Edith married Harry F. Clark on March 20, 1933, in Deadwood, SD., and he preceded her in death in June 1975.

The first years of their marriage, they lived in Wyoming. They moved to Idaho in July  1936. They made their home in Upper Pack River Valley, and following her husband’s death, Edith lived with her daughter Mary much of the time until her passing.

Edith enjoyed many years of her life under the loving and devoted care that Mary provided; the family is grateful for Mary’s monumental dedication to the happiness, good health, and longevity that carried Edith to her advanced age.

Edith has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; she enjoyed a special relationship with many of them at different times during her last years; they loved her sense of humor, her delight in laughter, music, holidays, visits.

They have many memories that they will always treasure, among them playing checkers with her (at which she was phenomenal), singing and drawing. Edith was an avid reader, loved poetry, writing letters and traveling.

She is survived by all of her children, Jean Coleman of Coeur d’Alene, Nellie (Jim) Gilbertson of Upper Pack River Valley, Grace Dreschel of Roseburg, Ore., Ethel Boyd of  Escondido, Calif., Kari Clark of Sutherlin, Ore., Mary Pandrea of Cheney, Wash., Wilma (Chuck) Mican of Roseburg, and Harold (Bill) Clark of Casper, Wyo.

The family will have a celebration of Edith’s life at her former home in Upper Pack River during the summer of 2010.