
Elizabeth Pearl Clark Lusk
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Elizabeth (Beth) was born October 21, 1933 to Thomas and Yula Marie Clark in Pocatello, Idaho. She passed from this life on January 6, 2025, reuniting with her husband Boyd who had left this world just six weeks prior. They were married 67 years and are now together forever.
Growing up in Pocatello, she was the next to the youngest child in a multi-generational home where she loved and was cared for by all. She was an excellent student and graduated from Pocatello High in 1951. Beth attended Idaho State College enrolled in the nursing program where she and 6 other young women became the first graduating class to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1956. Beth's chosen field was in public health, and she spent her long nursing career working for health departments and school districts.
Not long after graduating college, Beth met Boyd Lusk on a blind date. After a short courtship, they married in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 30, 1957. They both began their careers in Pocatello and started a family. In 1964 they moved to El Centro, California where Beth established deep roots in her new neighborhood, constantly supporting ward, school, and community activities. She found time to have successful careers at Imperial County Office of Education and Central Union High School District. She loved her profession and the sense of service she associated with it, especially in being able to help many less fortunate. Even after her retirement in 1998, she maintained her nursing licenses well into her 80s just in case someone needed her service.
Beth was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many leadership positions in Relief Society, scouting, visiting teaching and, famously, 20+ years of teaching 3-year-olds (Sunbeams) in Primary. To her last days she remembered all of her Sunbeam's names and birth dates.
For 30 years after their retirement, Beth and Boyd traveled between El Centro and Sugar City, Idaho chasing the good weather. One of their secrets to longevity was always looking forward to return and reunite with family, dear friends, and cherished neighbors in both locations.
Beth was a caring and sympathetic nurse, in her professional roles as well as with her family and neighborhood patients. Her kindness was balanced with tremendous personal strength that did not allow any disregard of herself or others. Beth loved funny stories and people, chuckling silently, her signature laugh was only recognizable by her shaking shoulders and tears in her eyes. She lived her faith by loving her fellow man and always thinking of and helping others. One of her most repeated counsels to her family is that every person needed "just one good friend". She was that one good friend to many.
Describing Beth cannot be complete without commenting on the love and devotion she had for her husband Boyd. She honored and supported him in every way, and always let him believe he was in charge.
She is survived by her children: Michele and John Ochs of Imperial, CA; John and Jennifer Lusk of Sherwood, Oregon; grandchildren Brady, Aidan, Ryan, and Natalie. She is predeceased by her parents and all her siblings: Tom, Morna, Walt, David, and Sam.; and most recently, her beloved husband Boyd.
Services will be held on Saturday, January 18th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sugar City, Idaho located at 6 North Teton Ave. A viewing will be at 9:00am, the service at 10:00am, followed by burial at the Sugar-Salem Cemetery.
