Beatrice 'Bea' Clark was born September 5, 1937 in Greenville, South Carolina. She was born to Clara and Bascom Wooten and an older half-sister, Betty. Her loving mother was a textile worker for most of her adult life. Her father hailed from a family who fought in the revolutionary war. Bea and Betty, although separated by several years, shared a number of memories together as girls.
Decades later, after Bea retired, she and Betty were to be reunited, at which time Bea shared her personal testimony and the gift of a Bible. Betty received the Word willingly.
When Bea was about five years old, her mother moved the two of them to San Francisco for a fresh start. She attended grade school there for a couple of years until they moved back to Greenville, into the home of Bea's maternal grandmother. There, Bea grew up under the watchful eye of several aunts and uncles, and of course, her doting mother. Ironically, although she grew up in the Deep South, Bea was not particularly fond of southern food,so her mother liberally sent her to the corner drug store for sweets and "Co-Cola". Bea was an exceptional 4.0 student all the way through high school,with particular aptitude in business and clerical classes.
Bea was a leader in her church "CA" (Christ's Ambassadors) youth group. This involved many outreach opportunities, including the chain-gang prison ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus. It was here that she met a certain air force man stationed at near-by Donaldson Air Force base, who sought out fellowship in the local Assembly of God church. The fellowship became all the sweeter when
Wayne Clark from Latah, Washington,met sweet Bea in September 1955. Wayne started attending the church and joined the choir. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy when Wayne introduced himself to the Pastor, who promptly told him it was commonplace that many service men stationed there had been marrying their young women and taking them away. Little did Bea know, but Wayne declared to the pastor, "No, that's not why I'm here. That won't happen to me." Five short months later, that same pastor married Wayne and Bea in that very church in February 1956.
They made their first home in Greenville in an apartment while Wayne continued his assignment. During this time, Bea contributed to the family income, first by working in a tax accounting office as a secretary and later for Daniel Construction Company as a secretary/steno pool clerk in the engineering department. Wayne and Bea often shared lunch together at the city park. It was there that their love of feeding the birds began,as they took pity on the city ducks by bringing them bread crumbs. Over 50 years later, the tradition lived on, on a coastline across the country in Seaside, Oregon. Bea loved feeding the seagulls, or "chickens", as the couple affectionately called them.
Wayne was eventually given orders in the summer of 1958 to take a remote assignment, with no dependents, in either Okinawa or Alaska. Wayne chose Alaska and so started Bea and Wayne's trek across the country in a 1953 Oldsmobile, with an 8' wide X 35' long aluminum trailer in tow. Along the way, they hit a poor farmer's only milk cow in a free range area outside of Missoula, Montana. Fortunately, the young couple was only responsible for the damages to their own car, and so they proceeded to Oak Harbor, Washington, where Bea was to make her home with her new in-laws while her husband was in the remote reaches of Alaska.
Bea learned a great deal about cooking from her new mother-in-law, including how to bake bread. She took to cooking like a fish to water, and Wayne was to be the benefactor for almost 60 more years. Bea fit right into the Clark family and became the daughter her in-laws never had, until Wayne called for Bea in Galena, Alaska a few months later. In the winter of 1958, Wayne qualified for an early discharge from the air force and he jumped at the opportunity. In March 1959, they came home to Oak Harbor. They promptly trekked to Seattle, applied at Boeing and both landed jobs right away - Wayne as a photographer and Bea in the steno pool. The young couple moved their faithful trailer to Eastgate in Bellevue. Bea was ambidextrously able to take shorthand with either hand. Bea was a favorite of all who called her their secretary.
In early 1960, Bea gave birth to her first born, Cheryl. Bea doted on her daughter, as her mother had done with her. The couple finally sold the trailer in favor of an apartment in Lake Hills. From there, Bea and Wayne rented a small house in Kirkland for a couple of years until moving to Renton where their youngest daughter, Darlene came along in 1963. Bea and Wayne bought their first home there and Bea became a full time wife and mother.
Bea loved getting her girls together with the neighbor children to play. She spent hours engaging in games and puzzles with her girls as they grew up, taking them to church every time the doors were open, and shopping. Bea did not necessarily need to buy anything to derive pleasure from their weekend trips to the store or mall. But she did enjoy browsing and took special delight buying matching outfits for her daughters' early years.
Bea went back to work at Boeing when Darlene started kindergarten, and never looked back. She continued to work in clerical roles, and was known for her loyalty and superior editing skills. When she retired in 1993, she left a high clearance job where she had faithfully worked as a word processing editor, editing many of Boeings' top secret business proposals.
As Bea raised her family, she established strong routines: cleaning the house on Saturdays, going to church on Sundays and Wednesdays (and any other time special speakers or missionaries or revivalists came through town), and playing games with family and friends. Bea and Wayne jointly taught Sunday School for several years at Renton Assembly, sang in the church choir and was faithful in WM's. She had a heart for the young gals in the "Pals and Gals" program, and eventually, she and Wayne became faithful supporters of youngsters overseas through Latin American Child Care. Bea took a great deal of pleasure in filling Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes - combining her love of shopping,finding a good deal and mostly, loving on those who needed it so desperately.
As the girls grew up, left the house and married, Bea and Wayne expanded on their love for travel both before and after retirement. They enjoyed many memorable and treasured trips to Hawaii (their favorite spot!), Israel, Mexico, Branson Missouri, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, Canada, Alaska, Florida, California, and many states throughout the southwest and southeast by car. One fun memory about Bea (true to her travel and shopping hobbies) occurred when the Mall of America opened in Minnesota. Bea heard about its grand opening on a radio station, she called in right away and secured two limited round trip seats on a plane for her and Wayne to the mall for just one day. Shopping for just one day? "You bet," Bea would say. She loved a good contest - whether that be playing Rook or Canasta with dear friends, Pinochle or Hearts with family, or board games with the grandkids.
Bea loved spending time with her 6 grandkids - 4 boys and 2 girls. She loved spoiling them with gifts she found on her numerous browsing trips - always thoughtful and personal, chosen with the individual in mind. Bea always wanted to ensure her grandkids had more than enough to eat when they were at grandma's house. One more scoop than what was requested, one more helping after the plate was cleaned, and always dessert, whether the main course was finished or not. The kids knew her deep love, in part, due to her generosity. She thrilled at taking them on outings when they were younger - to the Flight Museum,on ferry trips, and to the mall. They were her pride and joy and they knew it.
In recent years, Bea loved nothing more than spending time with Wayne at their beloved seniors' group. Here, they worshipped together, fellowshipped together, studied the Word together, celebrated with friends, grieved others' passing's, broke bread and played games {of course!). Bea loved all of you dearly. You were her friends, her brothers, her sisters, her support network, the inner circle of her life in Christ. Nine years ago, Bea and Wayne celebrated their 50th anniversary in this very church with those of you they loved the most. It was one of her most treasured memories and if she could, she would say thank you again today for loving them so.
As we reflect on a life well lived, we see the clear image of a beloved daughter, a cherished wife, a devoted mother, a proud grandmother, a true friend and a faithful servant of the Most High. In her last few weeks, when Bea lay trapped in a body that was failing,she repeated two phrases over and over to those that came to visit her: "I'll be alright," and, "God is in control." Two statements that were true then, and just as true today. Yes, Bea, God is surely in control, and you are alright today. Well done, good and faithful servant.
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