Lillian O Clark-Perry

Lillian was born on October 14th, 1922 in Poplar Township, Minnesota to Lee and Neva as one of eight children. They were struggling farmers in Minnesota until 1938 when the whole family and related families all together moved to Sweet Home Oregon. There her father and brothers and future husband all worked "in the woods". Some worked in sawmills, some drove logging trucks. Her first husband, Francis LeRoy Matthews also came out to Oregon with the rest. Lillian and Francis L Matthews were married in 1940. They had two children - LeRoy W and Donna Francina Matthews born in 1941 and 1944. In 1948 Lillian and Francis Matthews moved from Sweet Home to Kent Washington for better employment. Later in 1948, Lillian and Francis Matthews purchased a farm on Lea Hill east of Auburn Washington. Francis worked at Pacific Car and Foundry in Seattle until his retirement. Lillian worked 10 years at the Seattle Boeing plant. In 1961 Lillian and Francis Matthews divorced. Lillian soon married David M. Clark of West Seattle. David Clark also worked at the Seattle Boeing plant. They lived in West Seattle where Lillian's and Francis' daughter, Donna Francia finished high school. Soon Lillian and David Clark moved to Mason Lake south of Bremerton Washington. In about 1992 or 93 Lillian and David Clark divorced. In 2000 Lillian moved to Lebanon into a house owned by one of her nephews, Richard Wetherell. There she lived free on the condition she would care for her elder brother, Gerald Wetherell. Gerald suffered from Alzheimer's until his death. In 2001 Lillian and John Perry married on a vacation trip to Reno Nevada. She told her sisters Mildred and Luella that it was time she stopped taking care of her kids (Donna & LeRoy, already middle aged) and enjoy a life of her own. As a young person growing up on a struggling rural farm in Minnesota, Lillian was not able to complete school beyond the 8th grade. Farm chores were a priority there and at that time. In her early years of marriage, Lillian developed a keen interest in playing the steel guitar. She enjoyed that as a hobby for many years. She particularly enjoyed western music. She also enjoyed crocheting during various middle periods of her life. She was preceded in death by her husband John Perry, daughter Donna Francina, parents and siblings. She is survived by son LeRoy Clark and grandson T.J. Rodgers. Lillian passed on April 9th, 2020 at 97 years old, just 4 weeks after her husband.

Tributes

Lillian O Clark-Perry

October 14, 1922 - April 9, 2020