Phyllis Ann Tomlin Clark, 88, of Milford Center, died peacefully Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, after a brief illness, surrounded by her loving children at her home.
In her life, she was employed by The Ohio Orchard Co., K-Mart and C.J.’s in Milford Center. She graduated from North Lewisburg High School in 1948, where she was a cheerleader and played the violin in the orchestra.
She was first and foremost a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She made a home that was the center of many family gatherings. Cooking, cleaning, canning and gardening were her favorite activities. She especially enjoyed hanging sheets on a line and could make a great meal out of leftovers.
As a young wife, she, along with her husband, Dick, took care of their children in a two-bedroom home on Railroad Street in Milford Center. It was most likely the cleanest house in town.
Always involved in her children’s activities, she volunteered as an elementary room mother and was a helper at Girl Scouts day camp. She was the best mother when it came to making Valentine’s Day boxes and Halloween costumes. She also enjoyed dressing up in many unique costumes to give out lots of candy to trick-or-treaters.
She spent her life enjoying many passions, such as bingo and card games, as well as visiting casinos, flea markets, garage sales and auctions. She enjoyed having people visit, selling jewelry at the Urbana Flea Market, watching old black and white movies on Turner Classic Movies, going for drives in the country, traveling, picking bittersweet in her secret spot and looking through thrift stores.
She never met a stranger and had more energy than most people her age. She enjoyed square dancing with her husband and selling Wheaton wares with her father. She was an artist and enjoyed ceramics, painting and drawing pictures of Santa Claus. Her painted Santa Claus plates were given as gifts to her children.
She was thrilled to be a contestant on Cash Explosion, although at only four feet, eight inches tall, she had to sit on a high stool.
She rescued wounded animals, including opossums and birds. She loved her cats, Dot and Bud, and also took care of Morris and Big Boy, two strays from the neighborhood. She enjoyed drinking coffee and eating Necco Wafers and fettuccine alfredo.
She was born on Oct. 6, 1929, in Kent, to the late John LeRoy and Estella Marie (Millington) Tomlin. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, Dwight M. (Dick) Clark, whom she married on May 29, 1948, in Woodstock, and who died Sept. 1, 2009; brother and sister-in-law, John and Rita Tomlin; sister and brother-in-law, Virginia and Richard (Skinny) Davis; brother-in-law, George Organ; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Gwen Clark; son-in-law, Randy Clemons; niece, Cerena Clark Miele; and nephew, George Robert Organ.
She is survived by her children, Melody K. (Phil) Cunningham of Marysville, Julia I. Byers of Milford Center, Virginia A. Clemons of North Lewisburg, Dawn E. (Bill) Burger of Irwin, Dwight David Houston (Tara) Clark of Urbana, Charles William (Carla) Clark of Cincinnati, Mary Michelle (Thomas) Poeschel of St. Clair Shores, Michigan and John Ralph Clark and his best friend, Stacy Rausch of Milford Center; grandchildren, Christopher (UnMi), Benjamin (Missy) and Hope Burger, Paul Cunningham, Rachel (Byron) Jones, Richard (Kristine) Rausch, Nathaniel Clark, Amber (John) Hayes, Jessica (Kevin) Bushong, Huston Byers, Casie Goldstein, Sarah (Ray) Wackerle, Taylor Grace Poeschel, Tommy Poeschel, Shawna (Heath) Moore, Bryan Clark, Kayla Brown, Matt Clark, Courtney Hasson, Elizabeth Thomas and Marc Saup; great-grandchildren, Michelle Defibaugh, Molly, Harley and Presley Burger, Kira, Shelby and Cassidy Jones, Leo, McClellan and Allison Rausch, Camille Clark, Cameron Rosebrook, Blake, Haylee, Kersten, Blaine, Kiefer and Kayne Bushong, Braelyn and Ayla Roberts, Hudson Wackerle and Ethan and Eligha Moore; sister, Lena Ellen Organ; brothers and sisters-in-law, Charles and Doris Tomlin and Paul and Patty Tomlin; close friends, Cora Simcox and Rita Long; and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Ingram Funeral Home, where her grandchildren, Nathaniel Clark and Richard Rausch, will officiate funeral services Monday at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Milford Center Cemetery, with her grandsons serving as pallbearers.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities to assist local young athletes who want to compete in the Special Olympics, the Union County Humane Society or Loving Care Hospice. Cards will be available at the funeral home.
Condolences may be expressed at www.ingramfuneralservice.com.