Obituary
Laura Jean Johnston Clarke died peacefully at home Tuesday, June 1.
Born April 28, 1923 and raised in Kensett, Arkansas, Jean graduated from Searcy High School, earned a B.A. in Math from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Lynchburg, VA in 1944, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She entered graduate school at Wellesley College, MA, but left to marry the love of her life, Frank J. Clarke in 1945 upon his return from WWII.
She supported him and her family through numerous moves throughout his 20-year military career in the Marine Corps and as a professor’s wife at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She never looked back, except to regret not completing her Master’s Degree, or not becoming a code breaker, because she would have loved it. Jean was a lover of maps, reading, and crossword puzzles, she always encouraged her children and grandchildren to be life-long learners and lovers of science and math. She was an active member of many organizations wherever she lived. Jean was a member of First United Methodist Church of Winter Park.
Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Frank J. Clarke, LtCol, Retd., USMC. She leaves behind her daughters, Cynthia Martin (Jon) of Longwood, FL and Alicia Clarke of Lake Mary, FL.; grandchildren, Jon Martin (Rachel) of Sandy Springs, GA and Megan Martin (Jennifer Connolly) of North Reading, MA; and five great-grandchildren (Evelyn, Alec, and Olivia Martin, and Jackson Connolly and Vera Martin).
A family celebration of life will be held at First United Methodist Church of Winter Park, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to First United Methodist Church of Winter Park or to AdventHealth Foundation of Central Florida (Hospice). Interment of ashes will occur later in Arlington National Cemetery with her husband.
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