Edwina Clark
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Winnie Clark died at home Friday, July 17th in Temple Terrace Florida at the age of 80. She was born Edwina Fern Precht October 5, 1939 in Mexico Missouri. Her parents were Earl Edwin Precht and Fern Meranda (Kettrey) Precht. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, James N. Clark; three children: Melanie Tomlinson of Brighton Michigan, Jim Clark of Tampa, and Lisa Clark of Tampa; four grandchildren: Jennifer Vanderhyde, Max Clark, Jack Clark and Catherine Clark; and three great grandchildren: Ryan, Emily and Tyler Vanderhyde. She is also survived by her sister Mary Ann, and preceded by her sister Beverly Jean. Her family was her greatest joy. Winnie grew up in Mexico, Missouri, where she met her husband Jim in high school. They were married August 14th, 1956. They graduated together in 1962 from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Winnie with a degree in Education. They lived in Thomasville, Georgia from 1962 to 1969, Brighton, Michigan from 1969 to 1988, and have been in Temple Terrace, Florida since 1988. Winnie loved children, babies in particular. She taught pre-school for several years after they moved to Michigan. She then taught adult education in Brighton until they moved to Florida, finding joy in helping adults who had not finished high school succeed. She received a Masters degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University in 1981. She assisted Jim with the administrative side of his job after the move to Florida until his retirement in 2012. She loved to travel in the US and internationally, and to visit family. She was very social, befriending people everywhere she went. She loved visiting people, having visitors, and parties. She loved music, playing the piano and singing in the church choir. She was a very active member in Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Brighton, and St. Paul's Lutheran in Tampa. She walked, rode her bike with her dog in the basket, and did water aerobics for years, in spite of the early onset of arthritis. She was an avid reader and loved movies. She crocheted and made many types of crafts over the years. She'd be the first one to the beach and the last to leave the Straz Theatre after a performance. She had several beloved dogs over her lifetime. Flowers and plants welcome. Her favorite charities are The Arthritis Foundation, and St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She was a devoted wife. Her love of children and family made her simply the best mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was sweet, genuine, nice, and not cynical. She was an extrovert, and literally everyone she knew loved her.