Clark, Joan E (Ehresman)
May 12, 1939 – April 22, 2021
Joan E. Clark, 81, passed away Thursday, April 22, 2021. She was born in Syracuse, NY to the late Oliver and Margaret Ehresman. Upon the death of her mom, Joan relocated to Westfield, MA, and soon caught the eye of Richard A Clark, who proudly announced - even before their first date - that he had met the girl he would marry … they were married on February 6, 1960. Together they built homes in Somers and Bloomfield, and renovated their final home in Windsor, CT. Richard used his carpentry skills to build, and Joan used her talents of stenciling, calligraphy and chair caning to add to their inviting homes. Joan, a devout Christian, found comfort reading her Bible and praying for those in need. Proud of her German heritage, she blamed it for her determination, which she leveraged to complete high school at age 43, after dropping out at 15 to care for her ailing mother. A long-time employee of Aetna, she was successful in joining and passing their computer training program to become a software professional. She took pride in her accomplishments, but her family brought her the most joy. Predeceased by Richard in 2005, she leaves three children and their families: Dean and Dipti Clark of Glencoe, IL; Julie and Tony Gibson of Waxhaw, NC; and Kristen and Jeffrey Ward of Gloucester, MA; nine grandchildren – Lorna Clark; Heather Wanczyk; Jasmine, Alexander & Andrew Clark; Jonathan, Hannah & Will Gibson; and Joshua Ward; and three greatgrandsons, Lucas, Logan and Levi Wanczyk. She also leaves her twin brother, John Ehresman and his wife, Joanne; her sister-in-law, Mary Ehresman; and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bob and Gail Clark; many nieces and nephews, and her dear friend, Ann Flynn. She was predeceased by her oldest brother, Oliver “Jr.” Ehresman and his wife, Ruby. Her brother, George Ehresman, passed away just 17 hours after Joan. Services will be held at a later date. Donations in Joan's memory may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation https://www.michaeljfox.org