Obituary: Jean Clark

Jean Clark

Jean Clark

Jean Clark, born Ethel Jean Reeves in Prescott, Ariz., June 9, 1926, died at Hospice of Arizona in Sun City West on Jan. 11, 2010.

She and her husband, Lloyd Clark, became residents of Surprise on their 43rd wedding anniversary in 1993. They were married in Prescott on June 17, 1950, when he was a reporter for the Phoenix Gazette. Jean began her music career at age 5, taking up piano. At age 13, she became assistant organist at the Prescott Methodist Church and was the regular organist by the time the Rev. Franklin Greene came there as pastor in 1947. Rev. Greene recently became pastor emeritus of the Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church in Sun City West. She studied piano and voice at Chicago Musical College in 1945 and graduated from Arizona State College, Tempe, with a degree in musical education in 1949. As a student, she served as the first organist for Danforth Chapel on campus. In 1963, Jean concluded 13 years as organist at Asbury Methodist Church, Phoenix. During that time, she was accompanist for North Phoenix High's modern dance classes and then for Alhambra High School's choral groups. When her husband returned to active duty in the Army in 1967, she played for as many as four services on Sundays at post chapels when they lived at Fort Gordon, Ga. From 1982 to 2002, Jean was the organist at Encanto Community Church in Phoenix. During that period, she also provided scores of dinner and sing-along selections during military history conferences participated in by her husband.

Survivors include Lloyd, her husband; Roger Clark, son, and his wife Joelle of Flagstaff; Cynthia Hotchkiss (Gary) of Scottsdale, and Candyce Eggen (Jeffrey) of Las Vegas; grandsons Jean-Phillipe Clark of Flagstaff; Nathan, Theodore and Jonathan Hotchkiss of Scottsdale, and granddaughters Bridgette (Eggen) Foster and Alida (Eggen) Plante, both of Las Vegas, Janine Clark of Flagstaff, and Jennifer Hotchkiss of Scottsdale.

Services were Feb. 22, 2010, at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church in Sun City West. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Encanto Community Church, 2710 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85007. Checks should be marked "In memory of Jean Clark."

Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 10, 2010, at Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.

Information provided by survivors.


Donate Report a Typo Contact
Most Read