Miriam Delores Clark

Graveside Services for Mrs. Miriam Delores Clark will begin at 12:30 p.m. Friday, October 15, 2021 at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens with Pastor Steve Mazzaferro officiating. Interment will follow graveside rites. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

The Clark Family will receive guests from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 Noon at the funeral home.

Miriam Delores Hodges Clark was born on June 2, 1937, in Mississippi to Matthew & Mary

Elizabeth Hodges. Miriam passed away on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at Long Beach

Memorial Hospital in Long Beach, California.

She met and married J.T. Clark on January 30, 1954. To this union five (5) children were born:

Gerald Glenn (Cathy) Clark, Miranda Clark-Gonzalez, Mary Ruth Clark, Joseph Tyrone

(Earnestine) Clark, and Sheila Lynnette (Ray Earl) Larkin; 23 grandchildren, 32 great

grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.

She was quite a pioneer throughout her career and life. She initially began her career providing

domestic services in area homes, but quickly withdrew from that profession to pursue her desire

to help children.

She began employment with Newell Chapel C.M.E. Church Headstart in 1966 as a cook, but her

passion and love for children motivated her to attend Meridian Community College to earn her

GED, so she could be elevated to the position of teacher’s aide. She accomplished her goal and

was promoted to teacher’s aide at the church head start in 1970.

She diligently worked as a teacher for the same Headstart program for 38 years until she retired

in 2011, from what is now called the Charles Young, Sr. Child Development Learning HeadStart

Center. Her pioneering spirit motivated her to work together with Representative Charles L.

Young, Sr., to develop child learning curriculums during the beginning of the HeadStart program.

Many of the curriculums that she assisted with during those early stages are still used today.

A devoted Lutheran, she began her service at Good Sheperd Lutheran Church and continued her

membership with the Lutheran Church after Good Shepherd Lutheran Church merged with

Trinity Lutheran Church. A faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church, she was a member of

LWML and served as Sunday School Teacher and Sunday School Superintendent. She was also a member of the choir; she enjoyed expressing her love of music in worship.

No one was a stranger to Mrs. Clark, and despite her many responsibilities, she would still find

time to participate in the annual walks and fundraisers for Relay For Life and volunteer with the

Meridian Oncology Associates to assist cancer patients. Although she was diagnosed with breast

cancer in May 2005, she was 16-year cancer survivor who supported and counseled those who

struggled with cancer.

She was preceded in death by her parents (Matthew & Mary Elizabeth Hodges), her husband

(J.T. Clark), her sister (Josephine Griffin), and a grandson (Antonio Baker).

She leaves to cherish her memory: 5 children, Gerald (Cathy) Clark, Miranda Clark-Gonzalez,

Mary Ruth Clark, Joseph (Earnestine) Clark, Sheila (Ray Earl) Larkin, 23 grandchildren, 32

great-grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, family, and

friends.