Mary Elmena Clark Britt passed away December 20th nine days before reaching her 98th birthday on December 29th. The service dedicated for our Mother will be held at First Baptist Church Haughton on Wednesday, December 23 at 11 o-clock. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 o-clock before the service. She will be buried in Hill Crest Cemetery in Haughton, LA.
She was the wife of Carroll K. Britt, deceased, and the mother of four children: Sherron Melton,(Randy) Dianne Glasgow, (Mike, deceased) Mary Katherine Elshout, (Martin) and Bill Britt (Wendy); eight grandchildren: Eddie Walker, Gregg Walker, Tawni Basden (Matt), Ty Melton (Erin), Jamie Glasgow Howell (Walter), Casey Glasgow Davis (Scott), Sarah Elshout Leger (Jake), Jeremy Britt (Emily) and Luke Britt (Tracy); great-grandmother to 29 great-grandchildren and sister-in-law to Dorothy Vining Clark. She was preceded in death by her parents; William Albert Clark and Mattie Catherine Madden Clark and brother, Dr. Glen Elward Clark.
Mary Elmena Clark Britt was born in Heflin, Louisiana and moved to Princeton, Louisiana where she graduated from Haughton High School at the age of 16.
She worked at her aunt’s large country store in Princeton, La. and, eventually, ran the post office housed in the store. Many years later she became the Princeton mail carrier in which her father, Albert Clark, was previously the mail carrier.
She married our dad, Carroll Kendrick Britt, whom she knew from Haughton High School. They moved to Bossier City, where they became members of First Baptist Church of Bossier. Through First Bossier, she and our dad and other members helped start a mission church, Waller Baptist Church, which became a thriving and growing church in the day. The church was built on the very edge of Bossier City at that time.
Our parents were able to purchase land in Haughton, Louisiana that was on a beautiful tract of land once owned by our dad’s dad and mom. It was a place our mother used to pass by on her way to and from school admiring its beauty. As a teenager, she used to imagine herself living in that very beautiful place and eventually she did just that.
Upon moving to Haughton, our family joined Haughton Baptist Church, where our mother taught fifth grade boys in Sunday School, and while they were mischievous, she loved them despite it all. She was also active in the Women’s Missionary Union for many years. Her Sunday school class brought her much joy, as she loved their meetings where she was responsible for the games and activities they did at each meeting. Both she and our father traveled with the church on mission trips, helping start new churches in other parts of the United States.
Our mother was always cooking and taking food to those she knew who were sick, even if she was not doing well herself. She was selfless and always looking out for others. For us four kids, she spent hours decorating cookies for our school parties. For one Christmas party, she arrived with decorated cookies in hand. The teacher said we are not having the party due to bad weather. My mom politely said, “Yes we are. I have made and decorated these cookies and each child will take one home with them.”
On the day of our mother’s passing, she was singing hymns and quoting scripture with the people caring for her. This past Sunday, Mother listened to the sermon by her pastor, Gevan Spinney, then stated she was going home and left this earth to be with her Lord and Savior as she took her last breath.
She will always shine like a star of love and care for people whether they were 10 years old or 90 years old. That’s our mom, and we will remember her for all the good she did in this world and the love she poured on us four kids and the fact she taught us about Jesus.
