Joan Mary CLARK

Published on 06/01/2022

CLARK Joan Mary (nee Tillotson) Died peacefully in Airedale Hospital on 26th December 2021, aged 91. Joan was born in her home on Gisburn Road in Barnoldswick, where her parents Ted and Elsie Tillotson were weaving manufacturers at Fernbank Mill. Joan attended Gisburn Road School until she was 11 and then went to Skipton High School, travelling there daily by train. She went to Art School in Skipton for a year before starting University in Edinburgh where she trained in Hospital Almoning modern day Social Work. All the family attended St Andrew's Methodist church in Barnoldswick. Joan led the Sunday School, was involved in many pastoral care activities, the Young Wives group and she remained involved all her life in church work in many capacities. It was through her church commitments that Joan met John Clark when his father came to be the minister. Joan and John were married in 1954, had three children, Peter, Susan and Rick and enjoyed 61 years together before John died in 2015. Joan was a homemaker, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. Her home was her castle and organising, welcoming friends and family, entertaining and sharing with others was her gift to all who knew her. Her love of home extended to the garden and greenhouse where she loved to grow and create beauty all the family could enjoy. Together Joan and John travelled widely, returning regularly to Scotland and Ireland as well as travelling further afield, visiting America regularly where Peter settled. After John's death in 2015 Joan was stoic and determined despite the inevitable loneliness, made worse by the restrictions the pandemic brought. Sadly she was unable to remain fully independent and spent the last two years of her life in Thornton Hill Care Home. Joan touched the lives of many. She will be dearly missed by her children Peter, Susan and Rick and grandchildren Doug, Joanna, Alex, Jonathan, Lucy, Tom and Daniel, her great-grandchild Hank, and her wider family and friends. The burial will take place at Ghyll Church at 12 noon on the 17th January, followed by a service of thanksgiving to celebrate her life at St Andrews Methodist Church at 1.00pm. All are welcome to either or both of these or the livestream on https://youtu.be/SrjORrxNsuA Family flowers only please but any donations will be given to St Andrews & Stroke Association

Richard Parker January 13th, 2022

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