Ellen I Clark of Vancouver, WA has slipped the bonds of this earth and stepped into eternity to be with her Lord Jesus. She passed away peacefully on August 27th 2020 at age 88. Born to Loren H. and Irene M. Galbraith in Portland, OR, she came from pioneer stock. Her maternal grandfather, Sylvester Goodnight came to OR in a wagon train in 1865 and her maternal grandmother’s family, Isaac and Margaret Smith came by wagon train in 1853. Her father’s family, Hugh and Grace Galbraith, were of old Scots stock: Hugh’s father, James, originally emigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1846 and Grace was a McFarland.
Ellen’s parents owned and operated Galbraith Gardens, a wholesale and retail nursery, in Lake Shore. She and her brother, Clark, worked alongside them. This led her to her love of gardening. She spent hours working in her home flower gardens. Every year until this year she had her own raised flower bed at Glenwood Place. Tending it gave her great pride, peace and joy. As a youth, Ellen was active in 4-H and Job’s Daughters. She attended Lake Shore Elementary School, Shumway Jr. High and graduated from Vancouver High School in 1950. She worked for a year at Alcoa and then began at Clark Community College in 1951, graduating in 1953.
She met Walter C. Clark, himself a farm boy from Camas, WA, while he was stationed at Vancouver Barracks. They married on Oct. 10, 1952. She became an Army wife and together they raised their family across Europe and the United States. From Vancouver they were transferred to Orleans, France, followed by moves to Helena, MT, Neubrucke, West Germany, FT Sill, OK and then back to Vancouver when Walter’s unit was sent to Vietnam.
She was an active member of the 21st Ave. Baptist Church in Lake Shore and later at the Vancouver First Church of God.
Ellen was preceded in death by her husband, Walter, in November 1992 and is survived by: her son, William L. Clark (Laura); daughter, Lynn M. Sandor; son, Mark R. Clark; 7 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
She was laid to rest at Park Hill Cemetery, Vancouver, WA in a family service.
Please sign Ellen’s guestbook at www.columbian.com/obits
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