Nancy Keenum Clark

On March 8, 2024, our mother, Nancy Keenum Clark, left the burdens of this earthly life behind in exchange for her eternal reward. There is simply not a more appropriate word to describe our mom than “teacher.” She spent her career as an elementary schoolteacher in the Calhoun County school system, but also spent her life teaching all those around her, especially my brother, my sister, and me. Our mother was a brilliant, strong, and independent thinker who instilled in each of us a life-long passion for learning. She showed us how to have daring adventures not only through the books we read, but in exploring the wonders of nature and the larger world around us beginning with our own backyard. She was an insatiable creator, constantly sewing, and painting, and gardening, and cooking, and telling stories, and playing music. She was also the family historian, compiling volumes of our family’s genealogy, collecting grave rubbings of distant family members, combing through census records, birth certificates, death certificates, and immigration documents to help preserve our family’s story.

One of the most amazing things Mom compiled was the history of her father’s service in the United States Army during the Second World War. The scrapbook she created contains not only the details of Granddaddy Curt’s service, but also photos from his training posts stateside, photos with the members of his unit across Europe, and records of those of his buddies who didn’t make it home. It is an invaluable piece of our family’s history and cherished by each one of us. And Mom did all that work not because anyone asked her to do it, but because she knew how much it would mean to us. That I believe is the most important lesson my mother ever taught me, to think of others first and to sacrifice to serve and support the ones you love and care for the most. It certainly wasn’t the science she taught me in fifth grade - yes, she was my teacher for part of the day in fifth grade, and although I generally tell people that it was a horrible experience, I secretly love those memories with her. We will certainly miss Mom deeply, but we are and always will be better for having been taught by her and loved by her, which in Mom’s case was exactly the same thing.

Mom is survived by her three children: Jon Clark (Cheryl) of Denver, Rebecca Smith (Heath) of Rainbow City, and Paul Clark (Sarah) of Auburn; by grandchildren Brody Barker, Britney Barker, Justin Clark, Jade Clark, Jeoffrey Clark, Louise Clark, Eva Clark, and Martha Clark. She was preceded in death by her devoted husband and our incredible Dad, Tony Clark, by her parents, J.C. “Curtis” Keenum and Louise Keenum, and by her brother, J.C. “Jim” Keenum, Jr.

A visitation will be held at Collier-Butler Funeral Home in Gadsden, Alabama from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024 and a graveside service will be held at Crestwood Cemetery in Gadsden at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Instead of flowers, please consider donating art supplies to your local elementary school in her name. I know that Mom would be pleased that her memory helped continue teaching and inspiring new thinkers, and explorers, and adventurers.