Clara was born in Rosedale, Mississippi on March 8, 1936. When she was young the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. At age 9 she moved to Kansas City, where the family settled and Clara attended Kansas City public schools.
In 1967, she began working at Truman Medical Center East in Kansas City, Missouri. While working there she met her best friend of 50+ years, Mrs. Hattie Cooper. After 33 years of dedicated service, she retired as a Ward Clerk in 2001.
Clara was a member of St. James United Methodist Church for more than thirty-five years, beginning at the St. James Gregory location. In addition to being a faithful member, she attended Bible Study, and taught children in Sunday School.
Clara was a devoted mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. She loved to garden, cook, embroider and read — particularly her Bible, Black History and current events. She was passionate about voting and also about encouraging others to exercise their right to vote. In her later years, she became a devoted Chiefs fan and enjoyed watching football games with her friends at Palestine Commons, where she lived for the last seven years.
Clara was preceded in death by her father, Caleb Williams, Sr., her mother, Alma Moore, her sons Dwayne Williams and Benjamin Williams, her three brothers, Dana Williams, Caleb Williams, Jr., and Mike Williams, her granddaughter Ashley Williams, and her son-in-law David Irving, Jr.
She leaves to cherish her memory her sister-in-law Essie Williams of Dumas, Arkansas; her children: Pamela (Glenn) Smith and David Williams of Kansas City; Charlotte (Jeff) Jackson of Hayward, California; Russell (Twinna) Williams, Mark (Barbara) Williams, and Alma Irving of Kansas City; Dylane (Gregory) Louis, of Hayward, California; Lori (Larry) Thompson, of Orlando, Florida; and Gail (Jonathan) Bynum, of Kansas City; a host of nieces and nephews, twenty-five grandchildren, thirty-five great grandchildren and numerous friends.
Clara loved her family, her friends, and especially Jesus Christ, her Lord. She is home with Him now. She will be missed dearly, but her loved ones rejoice in the fact that they will see her one day in Paradise. Clara Mae Washington, age 83, of Kansas City, Missouri passed away on Sunday August 25, 2019.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mtmoriah.net for the Washington family.
