Mary Kay (Booth) Clark, 86

Mary Kay (Booth) Clark passed from death to life and into the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 86 on Nov. 8, 2010. She died of natural causes at home at Royal Columbian Assisted Living in Kennewick, Wash.

Mary Kay was born in Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 30, 1924, to Violet Derieg and Francis G. Booth, both descendants of Irish and German homesteaders to the Nebraska Territory.

Mary Kay graduated with honors from Cathedral High School in Lincoln in 1941 where she was in choir, the Sodality of Catholic Daughters and Catholic Daughters of America. In addition to helping care for her eight younger siblings she took her first job in a grocery store at age 15 and became a checker at 16. After high school she completed a one year business school before working at the telephone company in Lincoln.

In early 1944 she heard about the war effort project out in Washington state from her uncle Arthur McGerr, who was chef at the mess hall tent at the fast-growing Hanford reservation. Mary Kay and dear friend Jean (Miller) Smith signed up at a recruitment office in Lincoln, and at the age of 19 boarded a train for Pasco, Wash.

From Pasco she and Jean joined scores of other new recruits for the bus ride to Hanford to work on the Manhattan Project's top secret war effort. They moved into the women's barracks as roommates. At Hanford, she worked first as a police patrol dispatcher, then in the chemical labs.

She first met husband “Bev,” a Hanford chemical engineer, at the church. Mr. Clark was driving home from Mass and saw her walking to the next Mass. He turned around and offered her and her friend a ride to church and went back to church for a second time to sit next to her. He told friends that morning that Mary Kay was the girl he would marry. They were married at Christ the King Church on Aug. 18, 1945, the first couple to marry there after the end of World War II. This jubilant timing added to the joy of starting their new future together.

Mary Kay and Bev raised their five children in Richland, Wash., where Mary Kay was active in the Altar Society, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, and was a Cub Scout den mother. She loved taking part in local school musicals like the “Water Follies" in the parent theatrical group at Christ the King and was notorious for her quick rhythm doing the Charleston.

When her youngest child started first grade at Christ the King in 1963, she enrolled in the nursing program at Columbia Basin College, earning her licensed practical nurse certificate and returning to work as a practical nurse at Kadlec Hospital in Richland.

In 1968, after 24 years at Hanford, husband Bev was hired by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency as a nuclear safeguards inspector and development specialist in Vienna, Austria. Mary Kay expertly wrapped up the family affairs and divested of all but the essential family possessions in short order to prepare for departure, set up household and establish a new life in Europe. The family flew to New York, sailed across the Atlantic by ocean liner then traveled by train across Europe to Vienna with kids and luggage in tow to their new home in a 100-year-old Viennese villa.

In Vienna, Mary Kay served as both homemaker and entertainer extraordinaire for splendid events as a diplomat's wife. She was widely acclaimed for her fabulous traditional American cooking. Mary Kay chaperoned school dances and student activities for her three sons at the American International School, where she was a favorite surrogate mother to her sons’ many international friends.

From Vienna she planned exciting family car journeys across Europe and behind the Iron Curtain with daughter, Kathi, and three wild but somewhat under control teenage boys packed into their small Peugeot station wagon. After 12 years in Vienna, Mary Kay and Bev retired to Port Angeles, Wash., where she volunteered for Hospice and was a Eucharist minister among other church activities at Our Lady of Angles Parish.

Mary Kay had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and prayed the Rosary daily. For 17 (long) years she missed her beloved husband, Bev, who passed away in 1993 and so patiently longed to join him in heaven where he faithfully waited for her.

She often joked about how Bev and old Richland pals Art Waligura and Bill Koop were up in heaven playing golf with St. Peter. After Bev’s death, Mary Kay moved back to Richland to be closer to family and old friends.

In Richland, Mary Kay was widely known as the "cookie lady", baking for friends, neighbors and even the wonderful girls down at the bank.

When the children were young she made outfits, vests, bow ties and holiday costumes for them all and made beautiful prom dresses for daughter, Kathi. She designed and made glamorous hats, some with pheasant and duck feathers husband Bev had brought home from hunting, once she had prepared roast pheasant or mallard for dinner. Mary Kay was an accomplished hobbyist who made and painted countless beautiful arts and crafts objects throughout her life.

Three years ago, this strongly independent woman hesitantly was moved to Royal Columbian Inn Assisted Living Facility in Kennewick, where she was surprised to find rich friendship and care from the entire staff. Her family is eternally grateful to Kendall Smith, the staff and caregivers at Royal Columbian for taking such good care of her and making Mom so comfortable and happy there in her final years.

Gracious thanks to Hospice at The Chaplaincy of Kennewick for their ongoing selfless and devoted care in her last days. Many thanks also to the priests, deacons and Eucharist ministers from Christ the King, Holy Spirit and St. Joseph's who said weekly Mass and brought communion. She felt so blessed to receive the Eucharist she so cherished.

Mary Kay was preceded in death in 1993 by her husband of 47 years, Beverly Earl Clark Jr. of Baton Rouge, La.;, and by brothers, John, Dan and Dick; and sisters, Fran, Rosemary and Rita Anne. She was the oldest of nine children and is survived by two, Delores Barry and husband, Bill, of Longmont, Colo., and Bill Booth and wife, Helene, of Long Beach, Calif.

Mary Kay is survived by her five children; Alex Clark (Linda) of Seattle, Katherine Eder (David) of Richland, Michael Clark (Lori) of Sandpoint, Idaho, Patrick Clark of Rockaway, New York City and Robert Clark of Pendleton, Ore., and four grandchildren; Laurie and A.J. Clark of Seattle, Stephen Hartley (Nikki) of Richland and Chris Clark of Salisbury, Conn., and great-granddaughter, Skye Hartley of Richland. The funeral Mass will be held at Christ the King Church in Richland, 1111 Stevens Drive, on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 11 a.m.

Donations can be made in Mary Kay's name to Hospice at The Chaplaincy of Kennewick.