She was preceded in death by her parents, Mark N. Arthur and Etta Barbara Inman Arthur; her two husbands James Edward Clark, Sr. and John Gene Linehardt; brothers James Arthur, Judson Arthur, Mark Arthur, Jr. and three sisters Clyde Arthur Smitherman, Jennie Arthur Smitherman and Mabel Arthur Converse; first born son who died before birth; and her daughter-in-law, Therese “Terri” Shannon Clark.
Louise is survived by her four children, Thelma Clark Phillips, Barbara Clark Stewart (Fred), James Edward Clark, Jr. (Kathleen) and Ernest Lee Clark (Margaret). She was a caring grandmother to 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren; both natural and acquired through marriage.
Grandchildren: Steven Phillips (Tammy), Captain Michele Phillips Morrison, DO, FACS, USNS (Kino), Jennifer Phillips, Kimberly Phillips, Amanda Phillips Sullivan (Patrick), Carol Stewart Rodgers, DNP (Todd), Fredric Stewart II, Matthew Clark Montoya (Meredith), Robert Stewart (Amy), Shannon Clark Thorne, JD (Brian), Elizabeth Clark Vaucher, MD (Chris), Jamie Clark, David Shannon, Estela Shannon, Lee Clark (Erin), Wes Clark, MD (Allison, MD), and Brett Clark (Megan).
Great grandchildren: Charles Matthew and Mary May Montoya; Noah Michael, Jackson Fredric and Payton Ann Stewart; Christian Stewart and Matthew Todd Rodgers; Bryce Thomas; Kate and Carolyn Therese Thorne; Gunnar and Callie Leigh Clark; Cameron and Jackson Clark; Anna, Caroline, Emily and James Clark.
She had many nieces and nephews, and friends in the Montgomery area.
Louise was born on December 20, 1924 in Maplesville, AL. She dedicated her life to two husbands; both marriages consisting of more than 30 years each. She raised four children who attended Montgomery Catholic schools. Louise graduated from Montgomery County’s first Licensed Practical Nursing class, and she was first in her class. She began her career as an emergency room (ER)/operating room nurse at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Montgomery in the year 1958. She worked during the turbulent time of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s and became the first nurse in the hospital to work with doctors of a mixture of cultures. She retired from nursing in the ‘70s when she could no longer hear the doctors’ requests. This loss of hearing also gave her the amazing ability to read lips in order to understand any conversation.
Louise’s strength and courage as an emergency room nurse was inherited from her great grandfather. Louise’s ethnicity was 90% Great Britain and her ancestors settled in the 1700’s as part of Eastern North Carolina Settlers. The Inman families were some of the early settlers outside of Nashville (Leiper’s Fork), when Tennessee first became a state in 1799. According to published April 1912 Missouri Historical Review documents, Louise’s 4th great-grandfather Meshach Inman was exploring along with Daniel Boone in 1767 when he was killed in a Native American Indian attack at Nick-A-Jack Cave outside the current area of Chattanooga. The doctors she worked with commented frequently that she was quite the fighter and so did her current Dr. Don Marshall.
Louise loved to dance and became a regular member of the Arthur Murray class. Her hobbies included a wonderful “green thumb” and she demonstrated extraordinary ability for the growing of plants and flowers in her garden. She was also an accomplished seamstress with a designer’s ability in making clothes characteristic of the 1960’s such as Jackie “O” styles.
She was a long time member of St Peter’s Catholic Church and later Our Lady Queen of Mercy Catholic Church and a faithful adorer at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel. In 1994, the Montgomery Knights of Columbus recognized The Linehardts as the Family of the Year.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Monday, September 3, at Our Lady Queen of Mercy Catholic Church at 11:00a.m., with a Visitation 1 hour prior in the Parish Hall. She will then be laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery. Reception to follow at the Parish Hall.
Active Pallbearers: Son, James Edward Clark, Jr.; Grandsons, Steven Phillips, Matthew Clark Montoya, Wes Clark, MD, Brett Clark, and Rob Stewart. Honorary pallbearers: Grandsons, Lee Clark and Fredric Ralph Stewart.
The family is especially grateful to Our Lady Queen of Mercy Catholic Church Pastors: Rev. Michael Sreboth and Rev. Johnny Celzo, Jr. for their many blessings/Sacraments of the Sick administered; Dr. Don Marshall, the staffs at John Knox Nursing Home, John Knox I & II, and John Knox Home Care of Montgomery for the loving care they provided. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady Queen of Mercy Catholic Church or to a favorite charity.
Online condolences may be made at www.leak-mc.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady Queen of Mercy Catholic Church or to a favorite charity.
