Joan Russell Clark

Joan “Dolly” Russell Clark, 87, of Clearwater, died of heart failure on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at Suncoast Hospice Care Center, Palm Harbor. She was born October 27, 1928, in Camden, New Jersey, the only child of John and Hannah “Ann” (Linehan) Russell, and she spent summers in New Jersey with relatives including her cousins Dolores and Carol. Joan was very proud of growing up in Washington, D.C. and then working as a civilian at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After moving to Ohio and later Florida, she returned for reunions of her beloved Calvin Coolidge High School Class of 1947 and to visit museums. Trained as an art historian, she worked as a docent for the Museum of Art in St. Petersburg, the Gulf Coast Museum of Art in Largo, and the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs. She was a past national president and life member of her social sorority Alpha Zeta Beta. She was initiated in March of 1946, which is the longest term of AZB sisterhood ever (69.75 years). In 1989, she was an alumna initiate into her daughter’s collegiate sorority Alpha Xi Delta and The Study Group. She and her daughter traveled extensively and often, including big trips to the Holy Lands, Russia, and an extended cruise through the Caribbean. They went to Western Europe over spring break for nine years. She loved painting, especially tole painting on wood. Her two favorite sayings, which she proclaimed often even in challenging times, were: “I’m as happy as a clam” and “Life is just a bowl of cherries.” Joan is survived by her only child, Dr. Bonnie Jefferis and her husband Dr. Todd Jefferis of Clearwater, and cousins Carol (Kermit) Jacobson of Auburn, CA and Dolores (Larry) McCarty of Ocean Pines, MD. Arrangements were handled by Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home, Clearwater, FL and Blake-Doyle Funeral Home, Collingswood, NJ, and Joan was buried in New St. Mary Cemetery in Bellmawr, NJ. A Celebration of Life will be held in Clearwater at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Joan Clark Memorial Fund at the Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.