Mrs. Clara Beaird Beaird Johnston

Clara Beaird Johnston, 91, of Pelham, born Sept. 8, 1923 in Cordova, passed away Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at her residence. Visitation will be Friday, June 5, 2015, from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m., at Kilgore-Green Funeral Home in Jasper. Funeral services will be Friday, June 5, 2015, at 11 p.m., in the Kilgore-Green Chapel, with burial at Walker Memory Gardens. Charles Underwood will officiate. Clara married John Johnston (most people knew him as Jack) on June 16, 1943. They were married in Salt Lake City, Utah while Jack was on leave from the Navy and World War II in the South Pacific. Clara is truly a coal miner’s daughter. Her dad was a coal miner all his life and worked to raise 10 children. Her mother was a small woman with a big heart. She grew up in a family where love was abundant. She graduated from Cordova high school. Her favorite pastime was fishing with her family and spending time at their lake home on Smith Lake. She also enjoyed visiting family and friends. After Jack died in 2009 she lived at assisted living and independent living facility where she was the one to help other people that lived in the facility with her. She always wanted to help others. That was her calling. Working in the department store was her favorite job. She worked in department stores until she landed a job with Social Security. Where she worked until she retired. She has always enjoyed going to church and has lived a good Christian life helping others less fortunate or in need. Clara was preceded in death by her husband, John Nolen“Jack” Johnston; and parents, John and Mary Beaird. She is survived by her son, Johnnie Johnston (Edith Johnston); grandsons, Christopher Johnston, Tim Abbott (Wendy) and Steven Abbott (Sharon); and great-granddaughters, Lila Johnston, Sammie Abbott, Jamie Abbott and Jessie Abbott.