Connie Clark

Connie Rae Clark, 81, passed away peacefully on December 8, 2024, at her home in Goodyear, AZ, after a year-long fight with cancer. In her final days, she was surrounded by family celebrating her beautiful life.

On November 14, 1943, Connie was born to the late John and Bonnie Reed in Houston, TX. As a toddler she was adopted by her Aunt and Uncle, the late Durell and Addie (Vowell) Nealy and grew up in nearby Bay City, TX, where she became a lifetime follower of Jesus. Connie met Vern Clark at Evangel College in Springfield, MO, and they were married on May 26, 1964. For the rest of her life she was a dedicated wife, mother, Nana, and lifelong friend to many. She served her country for 37 years as a Navy spouse, ultimately a beloved first lady of the Navy. During this time she lovingly supported Navy spouses and their families, hosted official functions large and small, represented her country all around the world, and was known for her extraordinary ability to connect with sailors, officers, and dignitaries of all ranks and backgrounds. Her empathy, authenticity, and love for life caused friends to call her the bright light in the room.

Connie will be greatly missed by her husband of 60 years, Vern, children Jeff (wife Christine, children Jenna and Thomas) and Matt (wife Stephanie, children Maddy, Bradley, and Ainsley), brothers Clark, John Jr, and Douglas, and sisters Donna, Nancy, and Jonnie. She was preceded in death by her parents, Durell and Addie Nealy, her birth parents John and Bonnie Reed, and brother Bo.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Jan 10, 10:00 AM at Christ Church of the Valley, Verrado AZ, followed by a reception. The service will be streamed for those that cannot attend in person. There will be a second reception in Virginia Beach, VA, and we will notify friends and family when details are known. More details on how to connect to the service via live stream will be announced here.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Naval Services FamilyLine (https://nsfamilyline.org/donate).

“She never met a stranger”