Clark, Patricia Thomson
In Loving Memory of
Our Sweet "Mimi"
Patricia Thomson Clark
It has been a year since our wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend has gone to be with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His Heavenly Home.
Patricia Thomson Clark peacefully passed away at her home on November 20, 2019 at the age of 88. She was surrounded with love as her family was by her side.
Pat is survived by her husband, John E. Clark of Columbia, TN, son and daughter-in-law, Rick Clark and Mary Ball, two daughters, Beth Clark Whitesell and her husband, Mike of Phoenix, AZ, and Carol Clark of Memphis, TN who passed on December 5, 2019 two weeks after Pat's passing. She is survived by her grandchildren, Sarah Clark Alonso of Chattanooga, TN, and John Owen Clark Burchard of Mechanicsburg, PA. Pat leaves behind her loving sister, Dorothy Colbert of Dothan, AL and her family. She also leaves behind extended family, Jon and Melinda Burchard and their family of Mechanicsburg, PA, Ina Bea Leuellyn of Memphis, TN, Deborah Webb Edmiston of Trenton, TN, and Juan Antonio Alonso of Chattanooga, TN.
Pat was born in Meridian, MS on March 17,1931. She was the daughter of the late Edward Lamar Thomson and the late Jane (Anders Thomson) O'Neal. Pat met her future husband John Clark in Memphis in the spring of 1952 and married on October 8, of that same year at Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN. After brief times living in Indianapolis, IN and Canonsburg, PA, they returned to Memphis in 1959.
In 1982, Pat and John moved from Memphis to Atlanta, where she found a new calling, working at The Westminster Schools as the right hand to Elementary School Principal Judy Marine for twenty years. Pat was beloved by faculty, staff, and children and their families. When Pat retired, the Westminster Elementary School celebrated her time there with a parade and many letters of appreciation. She and John were members of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Pat was active in the church book club and the women's morning Faces of Wisdom group and was President of Pastor's Aid at Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Pat and John moved to Wyndham Village in Columbia, Tennessee in 2014 and quickly grew to love their community while making friends as congregants at First Presbyterian Church.
Some of Pat's many professional and civic accomplishments include being appointed Commissioner for the Tennessee Commission on the Status of Women, serving as Vice-Chairman for the Research and Review Committee of the Tennessee Private Industry Council and President of the Memphis Chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors. Pat was a member of the Board of Realtors Million Dollar Sales Club, Chairman of the Memphis Board of Realtors Political Action Committee, member of the Women's Executive Council and the first woman to serve on the 6th Congressional District Military Action Selection Board. Pat was also the West Tennessee campaign manager for Lamar Alexander's first gubernatorial run in the 1970s. She was also active as a United Way Team Captain, involved with the PTA and was a Girl Scout Troop Leader.
Pat was a voracious reader and a passionate lover of music and the arts. She would enthusiastically share her feelings on everything from show tunes to Russian literature and folk art. She loved writing fiction and also wrote lyrics for commercials at Pepper-Tanner in Memphis. Pat was a Patron of the Memphis Symphony, Theatre Memphis and the Germantown Theatre.
A survivor of polio at age 10, Pat experienced considerable hardship, but she translated those challenges into a sense of gratitude towards life. She had an uncommon ability to truly listen to those around her with genuine empathy. She was an adept and graceful problem solver and highly valued by many for her ability to constructively finesse challenging situations.
Over the years, Pat touched many people from all walks of life with her infectious curiosity and sense of wonder. With her kindness, warm heart and emotional intelligence, she strived to help make anyone she interacted with feel valued and respected.
