Pawlet, Vermont – Barbara F. Clark, 87, of Pawlet, Vermont, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at Rutland Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center after a period of declining health.
The daughter of Burton F. and Lucy (Potter) Jones, she was born in Granville, New York, on Jan. 25, 1935. Barbara grew up in Granville and Wells, Vermont, graduating from Granville High School in 1953. She married her high school sweetheart John (Jack) Clark, and they made their home in Pawlet. Together they raised two children, Joseph (Deborah) of Hebron, New York, and Cathy (Dan Wood) of Arlington, Vermont.
Barbara was your typical housewife of that era: PTA, Cub Scouts, running kids around, packing lunches, dinner on the table at 5 p.m.! In addition, she worked from home doing the bookkeeping for Jack’s trucking company, Clark’s Transport, and later for their peat moss business, Pioneer Peat Products. She also owned an antique shop for many years, The Old Blacksmith Shop.
When life slowed down a little, they were fortunate to winter at their Daytona condo, something they both really enjoyed. Through it all, though, the most important thing to Barbara was having her family close, and she made each holiday an event to lure everybody in!
Sadly, Barbara was predeceased by Jack in September 2013 just a few months shy of their 60th wedding anniversary.
In addition to her children, Barbara is survived by two grandchildren, Rebecca Thomas (Christopher) of St. Michael’s, Maryland, and Gregory Clark (Caitlin) of Manchester, Vermont, and three great-grandchildren Lucy, Dylan and McKenna.
She also is survived by her sister Priscilla Dahle of Robbinsdale, Minnesota, and her sister-in-law Susan Clark of Wells.
In addition, she is survived by several nieces and nephews as well as step-grandchildren and other close family friends, many of whom were included in those holiday gatherings she loved so much.
She was predeceased by her sisters Brita Dittmeier and Alma Stearns, sister-in-law Dawn Clark and brothers-in-law Oliver Dahle, Stewart Dittmeier, Wilson (Bill) Clark and Leon Clark, Sr.
Barbara was very fortunate in the last couple years that she was able to remain home through her health challenges. She had phenomenal caregivers at home and then again at Rutland Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. Her family is very grateful for the loving care and kindness that she was shown. We know she could be spunky at times, but she appreciated each and every person who helped her through these last couple years and put a smile on her face. She did have a good sense of humor, and we’re pretty sure most of you saw that!
Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.
