Wanda J. Clark

Our mother, Wanda J. Clark , 92, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2024.

Wanda was born in Akron, Ohio, and grew up in North Hill, graduating from North High School in 1950 as Valedictorian. She then attended the University of Akron, graduating with distinction in June 1955 with a BA in Education-Latin, minoring in French and Spanish. While at the U of A, she met her future husband, Herbert, on a blind date arranged by a fraternity brother and a sorority sister. After dating for six months, they were married in July 1953. She taught French, Latin, and Spanish for 22 years in the Springfield Local School District.

She and Herbert built their first home on Kingsley Avenue, Akron, and their second (dream) home on Sourek Trail in Northampton Township across from our grandmother’s house and lake. Our family enjoyed many years at what we considered our own private resort, with summers spent swimming, playing King of the Dock, launching water balloons back and forth across the lake, and riding (and crashing) our mini-bikes. We ice skated in the winter when the lake froze over with our mother being a much more accomplished skater than we ever were.

She was an avid birder and enjoyed traveling with Herb, family, and friends throughout the United States and world.

She treasured her sisterhood of the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority and Alumni Association and enjoyed their friendship and regular get-togethers throughout the years.

As a lifetime member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, her faith was very important to her and she was quite active as a volunteer in multiple roles in the church and community before her health declined. She and Herb hosted many church picnics at their property with everyone enjoying fresh apple cider made from their apples and cider press.

Wanda was predeceased by her parents, Albert R. Sultzbaugh and Rhoda J. Wightman Sultzbaugh and step-mother, Thelma Baughman Sultzbaugh; husband of 57 years, Herbert S. Clark Jr.; daughter and son-in-law, Connie Clark Weaver and Edward Weaver; and brother, Paul Sultzbaugh.

She is survived by daughters, Susan (Randall) Clark-George, Nanette Clark, Leslie (Jerry) Snowball, and Wendy Clark; grandchildren, Colin and Austin George, Todd (Kelly) and Matt (Britni) Hazel, Andrew and Katie Snowball, Daniel and Emily

Weaver, and Juno and Solomon Shemano; great-grandchildren, Gideon and Connor Hazel, Addisyn and Nathan Hazel, and Gabriel Snowball; sister-in-law, Kathleen Clark, and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Concordia at Sumner ALF Perkins Building for welcoming her to her new home and for the friendships she made while living there and the staff of Southern Care Hospice for caring for her with dignity and respect in her transition to her heavenly home.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 N. Prospect Street, Akron. Private inurnment at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. Friends may call at Billow Funeral Home, 85 N. Miller Road Fairlawn, Ohio 44333 on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

If one desires, memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church-Fund for Guest Musicians or Dare to Love More Ministries (DLM), both in care of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Services in care of The Billow Funeral Homes & Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N Miller Road, Akron, OH  44333.