1st LT. Marion Clark Dubbs (U.S. Army)

Marion Emma Clark was was born in Newark, New Jersey. She grew up with her older brother Bob and younger brother Jack in Bloomfied, New Jersey. A determined young lady graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1932 in an age where girls generally did not graduate from high school.

After graduation from high school, with $75 from her grandmother, she attended the Jersey City Medical Center School of Nursing, graduating in May, 1936.

After graduation from nursing school, Marion initially worked as a private duty nurse.

From 1939 to 1941, she worked at Brewster Public School in New York as a Health teacher and school nurse.

While working, she attended Columbia University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1942. Her major was Health Education with a minor in Student Personnel and Guidance.

In 1943, she felt the call of duty to her country and joined the United States Army Air Corps as an aerial evacuation flight nurse. During this duty she was one of the few women to enter active combat zones such as Leyte, Philippines and Okinawa to take critically wounded solders to safety. For this work she was awarded the Air Medal for “participating in numerous overwater flights returning injured casualties to rear area hospitals.”

During this time, she met her future husband, Roger Dubbs, of Toledo, Ohio. They were married in Oahu, Hawaii on November 11, 1944.

In early 1946, Marion was the Assistant Dean of Women at Purdue University while Roger finished his degree in Engineering.

After this, Marion became a mother with the birth of her sons Roger Bruce Jr in 1946, Barry in 1950, and daughter Cheryl in 1951.

In 1959 Marion became the Health Educator for Hamilton County (Cincinnati) Ohio. In this position she wrote the Health Education Guide for Hamilton County school districts. She maintained this position until 1962.

In 1971 she moved to Chicago with a change in Roger's job and then moved to Universal City in 1976 when Roger retired.

Roger passed away in 1997 and Marion moved to the 8th floor of the Army Residence Community in 2004. Her son Barry passed away in 2006 and she is survived by her son Bruce, daughter Cheryl, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She will be missed.

A graveside service will be held at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery at 9:30 AM on Monday, May 11th. A memorial service will be held at the Army Residence Center Chapel at 11 AM followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the name of Marion Clark Dubbs to the Women in Military Service For America Memorial at http://www.womensmemorial.org/.