Aletha M. Clarke

1917-2010

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Aletha Mae Israel was born at home at Cedar Ridge, Southwick, Idaho (Latah County) in May of 1917 to Clement Park Israel and Mary Elizabeth Letitia (Lettie) Long Israel. The doctor came up an ungraveled grade in a horse and buggy to assist at her birth.

She grew up on the farm on a ridge called Cedar Ridge, several miles up a steep grade northeast of Kendrick, Idaho where small farms inhabited the whole area. Her father had several small sawmills, one at the home place and at 2-3 other locations nearby.

Her sister, Nellie Louise, was 18 months younger, but grew up with her ‘as a twin sister’, before any of her brothers were born. When Nellie was six and she was seven years old, William was born; then Clement; Donald and Marlin came later.

The children went to a Community Church at Gold Hill. Aletha became a Christian as a child and attended church and Sunday School all of her life.

Her childhood home at the Cedar Ridge farm house was a four room building - two rooms downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. As the family grew, her father built on rooms all around the house – bedroom, porch and kitchen on the north; porch, bathroom, and bedroom on the east and an enclosed front porch on the south that looked out over the beautiful exposure of Mr. Fishers farm, forests and other farms and fields.

As a child, she watched her Dad and Mother “clear the land” around our house, which was built on a small hill. They burned stumps and made the acreage into more fields.

The sawmill was down the hill at the west of the house. Playing in the sawdust pile was fun. Hearing the whistle blow for starting, noon, and ending of the shift was heard all over the country side.

Nellie and Aletha helped in the kitchen to cook for the “hired hands” of the farm and mill from a very early age. Her mother usually had a neighbor woman help during the sawmill run and the harvest threshing.

The family always had other people living with them- Grandpa Wm. B. Long, Mr. Frances (not a relative) as well as families living in the extra bunk houses.

Aletha began her education at Cedar Ridge when she was 6 years old. She rode horses across Cedar Creek Canyon with the Cuddy twins, John and Elmer until her father bought a house in Southwick where family moved for the year. In 1932 her father bought a house in Juliaetta ID where family moved to finish High School. Aletha attended Kelsey Baird Business College in Spokane WA. She later attended Lewiston Normal College and graduated in the spring with her sister Nellie.

Spring of 1937 Aletha came home and worked at Breakfast Creek Logging. Logging logs were cut and piled up from Breakfast Creek to the north fork of Clearwater River. They waited for high water in the spring to float logs down to Clearwater Weyerhaeuser Lumber Mill in Lewiston ID.

Each of the sisters taught for two years. Idaho laws said one must teach two years in rural situation before going out to teach a city school. Aletha later received her Bachelor’s degree from Central Washington College of Education (later to become Central Washington University) in 1945.

Aletha taught for 36 years. Her career included teaching in Omak, WA, third grade in Kirkland, WA and later teaching for Head Start, a program designed to help pre-school children from low-income families be successful when they enter school. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma and has inspired others to become teachers.

Aletha married William E. Clarke in 1952 who was a bookkeeper for Carnation Milk Farms and later had two children, Gary and Mary. She was an active member of the Rosehill Presbyterian Church for many years.

She is survived by her daughter Mary (Michael) Kiner, grandchildren: Jeffrey, Natalie, brother, Marlin Israel and stepson Rev. William R (Evelyn) Clarke and his family. Aletha was preceded in death by her husband William E Clarke, son Gary E Clarke and siblings Nellie Cuddy, William, Clement, and Donald Israel.

The family would like to thank all who loved and shared their lives with her. She will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be held June 21, 12-8pm Acacia Funeral Home 14951 Bothell Way NE, Seattle, WA 98155

A funeral service will be held 10 am, Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at Rose Hill Presbyterian Church 12202 NE 90th St., Kirkland, WA 98033.

Memorials may be made to the Washington Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 530 Dexter Ave North, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98109, Tel: 206-628-0777 or to NAMI - Eastside, Family Resource Center, 16315 NE 87th St. Suite B-4, Redmond, WA 98052, Tel: 425-885-6264.