Betty Darlene Clark

Betty D. Clark, 90, of Waukon, IA, died Sunday, November 27, 2016, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon, IA. Private family graveside services were held in Oakhill Cemetery in Lansing, IA, with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Betty Darlene Clark was born May 11, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois the daughter of Frederick and Alice (Warren) Thornton. She moved with her family to Waukon, Iowa while still a baby and was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's United Methodist Church. She spent a lot of the time living with her grandmother Mary Ann (Sullivan) Warren in Waukon, Iowa. Betty graduated from Waukon High School in 1943 and moved to Waukegan, Illinois where she worked as an administrative secretary in a bank. While she was there she met Robert Emet Clark, who was in the Navy and stationed at Great Lakes Naval Hospital. The couple was married on February 9, 1946 at the Methodist Church in Waukegan, Illinois. They lived in a variety of places during Bob's military career, including Washington, California, Virginia and Illinois.  After his service time, they settled in Libertyville, IL prior to moving to Hollister, Missouri in 1970 where they spent 11 years before returning to Illinois. They retired to Waukon, Iowa in 1993. During her working career, Betty spent 30 years as a medical transcriptionist at hospitals in Illinois and Missouri.

Betty was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon as well as the church she attended in Missouri. She liked playing cards, was a member of Thursday Club and in recent years enjoyed working with her computer. Throughout her life, her family was most important to her.

Survivors include her daughter, Cheryl Lettvin of Lake County, Illinois and two grandchildren: Martin Lettvin and Jennifer Lettvin. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bob, who died in 1994; a granddaughter, Jessica Lettvin; and two brothers: her infant twin Warren Thornton and Ronald Thornton.