Mrs. Bertha M. Clark, age 88, of Dayton, Ohio, born May 23, 1931 in Park City, KY to Johnny Chase and Mary Ida Lewis of Louisville, KY, entered eternal life January 2, 2020 in Hospice Care at her home. She was raised in Dayton after her parents left Kentucky, attended Jackson Elementary School, and graduated from Dunbar High School in 1950. Bertha was recruited by the telephone company (now AT&T) to be a telephone operator.
She soon met and married Alfred T. Clark Jr. of Morristown, NJ. They met at a dance at Wright Patterson Air force Base, after the Korean War Conflict, and they were together ever since. During their 45-year marriage, they had 4 wonderful children; Sharon was born at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Hospital in 1955, as she always said, at the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. Bertha and Alfred moved to New Jersey in 1956. Bertha transferred to South Bell telephone Co. in New Jersey and Debra and Butch were both born at " All Souls Hospital" in 1957 and 1959.
The family moved back to Dayton because they heard that the GM company was coming to the area. Bertha worked at GMAC for 8 years and her husband was employed by General Motors for 32 years. Bertha worked at GMAC, but when Brian was born at Miami Valley Hospital in the 1960's, she stopped working for a little while. Bertha worked at the Board of Education for 25 years, and loved to travel. Bertha loved Airports, Train Stations, Greyhound Bus Stations, Hotels, Motels, Holiday Inns. She had a well-used Visa and traveled to Athens Greece several times, to Jamaica, the Bahamas and Aruba (she took her husband on one of those trips) and Hawaii, she went back and forth to New York and California dozens of times.
Bertha was a member of Bethel Baptist Church for 30 years, and a faithful member of Residence Park United Methodist for 20 Years, where she met Rev. Charles Brown, and Rev. Frank Adkins. Bertha also considered herself an honorary member of Rockhill Baptist Church. Rev. Lavonn Mann was a personal friend, and she loved to hear Ms. Perry sing and play.
Bertha is preceded in death by her loving parents, Johnny and Mary Ida Chase; loving husband, Alfred T. Clark Jr.; daughter, Debra Michelle Clark Thomas; special mention of her great grandson, Dominic Clark Jr. who got his angel wings a couple weeks after her.
Bertha leaves to cherish her precious memories her caring daughter, Sharon Clark Stephens (David Caldwell); devoted sons, Alfred T. Clark III of Dayton, and Brian E. Clark of Canoga Park, CA; dear sweet brother, Ernest D. Chase (Gervis) of Dayton; sisters, Reginia Chase Hill (Freddie) of Macon, GA, Lisa Chase Tooson (John) of Springfield, OH; grandchildren, Dominic Clark, Timothy Cranford, Arthur Brookins, Devon Clark, all of Dayton, Paula Fusco Clark of New York, Tyree Clark of Lima, OH, Teddy and Christie Cranford of Columbus, OH and Marqui and Demond Stephens of Georgia.
Bertha had 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren whom she loved. Some she didn't get to meet but loved them anyway.
A special thanks to her favorite cousin, Beverly Lewis of Dayton who cared for her for 7 years. She hates to leave her dearest friends, Ms. Betty Hicks, Mr. Sherman Mosely and Barbara Scott.
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