Obituary for Margaret M Clark Obituary for Margaret Clark 4/25/1918 – 4/25/2018 Margaret Clark, long time resident of Estes Park, died April 25 at Good Samaritan on her 100th birthday. She was born in Chicago, the third of five children, on April 25, 1918, to Fred and Anna Merrifield. Her father was a minister and a professor of comparative religion at University of Chicago.
Her mother was an English teacher and later principal of a girls’ school. Margaret described growing up in a “wonderful academic family” and attending University of Chicago’s Lab School. It was during these years that she and her family began to visit Estes Park in the summers.
Renting different cabins for several summers, the family ultimately purchased a rustic cabin on Ram’s Horn Mountain looking down on the YMCA. And thus began Margaret’s great love of the mountains and Estes Park, which would endure for the rest of her life. She attended college at the University of Chicago, where she met her future husband John Clark.
A serious law student, he asked Margaret’s older brother and fellow fraternity brother to make a formal introduction at a fraternity dance. This impressed her. Although he reportedly wasn’t the best dancer, she said they “talked well together”.
They married a few years later, continuing to live in Hyde Park until their fourth child was on the way, when they moved out to the western suburbs of Chicago. More children followed, eight in all: Margaret, Marcia, Alice, Patricia, David Bruce, Marian, Valerie, and Philip. Throughout this period of child-raising, Margaret also maintained an active life of civic engagement.
She attended the Congregational Church, participating in the church choir and oratorio society, served as a Cub Scout den mother, was active in numerous clubs, and later studied long hours by mail to earn a teaching certificate so that she could become a high school English teacher once all her children were in school. One of her enduring commitments was to League of Women Voters, which she said taught her a great deal, including being at ease with public speaking. She served the League in many capacities, including President for a time.
Another constant during these years was the annual summer pilgrimage to the cabin in Estes Park. All eight children participated, according to their ability, in an ambitious hiking schedule each summer, building up to the conquest of some high peaks by the end of the vacation. On New Year’s day, 1981, when her eighth child, Philip, was a senior in high school and planning to matriculate at Colorado State University in Fort Collins in the fall, Margaret’s husband John died of a sudden heart attack.
Although they had been planning their retirement to Estes Park in the summer, circumstances were now completely changed, though not Margaret’s drive to relocate to Estes. With the help of daughter Valerie, she tackled the huge job of downsizing and moving from a large turn-of-the-century historic home the following summer. Thus began her long history here in Estes on a full-time basis.
Her natural response to grief and loneliness was to engage, once again, in civic life here in the Estes Valley. Over the years, she proved a leader and a doer, time and time again. She joined the Mountain View Bible Fellowship, where she served as deaconess on Church Council and sang in the choir.
She was a founding member of Estes Park Medical Center Foundation, serving as Secretary and President. She was a founding member of League of Women Voters of Estes Park, serving in numerous capacities, including President. She was a charter member, Board member, and volunteer at Crossroads, again serving in many capacities including Board President.
In 1999 she was named to the Estes Park Planning Commission by the Mayor of Estes Park. She contributed to and led many other organizations in the Estes Valley, including AARP, Elizabeth Guild, Women’s Club, and Estes Valley Improvement Association. She was also a member of Oratorio Society, and Rocky Mountain Conservancy.
In 1991 she was fittingly named Estes Park Woman of the Year in Community Service for her many contributions. In addition to her busy schedule on numerous boards and in volunteer capacities, she found time to hike, without fail, twice a week. With the Mountaineer Snowshoe-Hiking Group, which she co-founded, or with family, she ultimately climbed all the peaks visible from the family cabin, including Mt Meeker and Terra Toma Mountain.
There is quite a story told in the family about her ascent of Terra Tomah with her two sons. It was September and they got a late start due to road closures. Approaching via Forest Canyon from Trail Ridge Road through some snowy terrain, they summited Terra Tomah at 4 pm, On the return, their flashlights gave out in the depths of Forest Canyon.
Carrying on, they were guided by daughter Valerie and husband Doug’s lantern high up at Forest Canyon Overlook on Trail Ridge Road. Margaret and her sons finished their hike at 12:30 am and were greeted by Doug and Valerie with a bottle of champagne. Margaret was 68 years old when she accomplished this feat of great endurance despite equally great fatigue.
She also traveled extensively during these years, visiting every continent. Highlights for her were: The Great Wall of China, Iceland and Norway, the New Zealand Milford Track, the rain forests of Costa Rica, the Himalayas of Nepal, the Grand Canyon (twice), a photo safari in East Africa, the Galapagos Islands, Scotland with daughter Marcia and son Philip, Hawaii and New Zealand with daughter Tricia, Switzerland with daughter Margaret and her husband Leo, and, unsurprisingly, numerous other mountainous destinations. What drove her throughout her world travels were her great appreciation for nature, love of beauty, and a curiosity about other cultures.
Margaret is survived by daughter Margaret Matti of Estes Park, daughter Marcia Cozzi of Chicago, daughter Alice Reuman (Peter) of Estes Park, daughter Patricia Clark-McDowell (Forrest) of Eugene Oregon, son David Bruce Clark of Denver, daughter Marian Aldrich of Estes Park, daughter Valerie Deats (Doug) of Estes Park, son Philip Clark (Shari) of Berthoud, eleven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband John, her parents Fred and Anna Merrifield, three brothers and a sister. There will be a Celebration of Life service at Mountain View Bible Fellowship on May 6 at 2:30 pm.
The family suggests attendees wear bright colors in honor of Margaret’s legendary love of colors! In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Crossroads Ministry, Good Samaritan Village-Estes Park, or Hospice of The Estes Valley in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 1302 Graves Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517 To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Margaret M Clark please visit our Sympathy Store. Upcoming Events Celebration of Life 2018 MAY 6.
02:30 PM Mountain View Bible Fellowship 1575 South Saint Vrain Avenue Estes Park, CO, US, 80517 Order Flowers for the Celebration of Life Guaranteed delivery before Margaret’s Celebration of Life begins.
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