Margaret "Peggy" Clark

Margaret “Peggy” Clark, 1923-2015, left us on Sunday, February 15, 2015. Born Margaret Elizabeth Barrett on October 17, 1923 in Pasadena, California, was the firstborn of five children. Her father, Carter (1893-1973) helped develop the avocado industry and was instrumental in the US and Mexico, as an advocate and horticulturist, for popularizing the Fuerte-variety avocados.

Her mother, Elizabeth Trumbull Dodge (1890-1974) was born in Valparaiso, Chile, the daughter of a clergyman and the granddaughter of the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Chile.

Her parents married in 1922 and a year later, she was born, followed by four more siblings.

She was predeceased by brothers; William “Bunker” Barrett and Richard Barrett and is survived by her twin brother and sister; Robin Barrett of Springfield, Oregon and Barbara Boekenoogen of Altadena, California.

During World War II, she enlisted in the United States Coast Guard, as a “SPAR”, in 1944- “for the duration of the war”. While stationed in Washington D.C., she saw President Roosevelt’s funeral cortege. Shortly after the war ended, she married Jay Clark, whom she had known since their junior high school days. Jay was also a veteran of World War II, having served in the 8th Air Force in Europe; their last missions being the liberation of survivors in the Nazi concentration camps.

Eventually, they settled in Hanford with their two children, Wendy and Chris.

She was a woman of action and loved staying busy; being social, being with her family and helping her children grow and learn. She loved her friends, and in-turn, left us being very well-loved and supported by them.

For many years, she was a State-certified, volunteer, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, where she embraced the organization’s purpose of promoting the interests, well-being and rights of the residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

Other activities which kept her happily engaged in the community were her memberships in The 19th Century Round Table, which is a study club for women, which was founded in 1898, in Hanford. She was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority for over 60 years, and also a long-time member of La Casa Garden Club.

She is survived by her daughter; Wendy Matulich of San Diego, her granddaughter; Laura Malik (Omer) of Santa Ana, her son, Chris Clark and his wife Jo of Yakima, Washington and especially close friends; Elaine Kelly, Norma Mathis and Mercy Munoz of Hanford and the Smith family of Ojai.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, her sorority’s charity of choice: https://www.cff.org/GetInvolved/ManyWaysToGive/Donate/index.cfm, or to the La Casa Garden Club, whose latest project is helping to support Hanford High School’s Future Farmers of America Horticulture Program. Donations in her memory may be sent to La Casa Garden Club; PO Box 1986, Hanford, CA 93232.

The family would also like to acknowledge the dedication, comfort and support provided by Valley Christian Home, the Hacienda Rehab and Health Care Center and Adventist Hospice, and the many, many good people of Hanford, who so delightfully, generously and heartwarmingly, took on the form of prayers answered.

A Celebration of Margaret’s Life will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at People’s Funeral Chapel; 501 N. Douty Street, Hanford, CA 93230 with a private inurnment at Miramar National Cemetery, in San Diego at a later date along with her husband.

Family and Friends are invited to view “Peggy’s” legacy at www.peoplesfuneralchapel.com and send condolences to the family. These condolences will later be added to a keepsake book for the family.

Services are under the direction of People’s Funeral Chapel.

PEOPLE’S FUNERAL CHAPEL

501 N. Douty Street

Hanford, CA 93230

559-584-5591

www.peoplesfuneralchapel.com