Linda Stafford Clark
1942-2015
Linda Stafford Clark, 72, passed away peacefully on August 18, 2015 after a long illness. A gracious and loving lady, Linda will be remembered for her caring nature, her generous heart, and her life of service to others. She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on August 24, 1942 to Marguerite MacLean Stafford and John Alwyn Stafford. Linda moved to Houston with her parents and brother, Stan, and attended Pershing Junior High and Bellaire High School. After attending Texas Tech, Linda moved to Dallas and worked as a flight attendant for Delta Airlines.
After returning to Houston, Linda met the love of her life, Bert Clark, and they married in 1967, beginning their wonderful love story and 48 years of happy marriage. Linda created a beautiful, nurturing home full of fun and lots of gourmet cooking and showered her love on four children and numerous pets. She was completely devoted to her family and husband, and leaves a legacy of love, laughter and a serious commitment to volunteer activities.
Linda dearly loved her 17 years of service as a volunteer member of the Houston Junior Forum and had a passion for working with the elderly through the Forum’s Recreation Center for Older Adults. She was a member of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church where she enjoyed teaching vacation Bible school. Linda held leadership roles as a PTA volunteer through the Spring Branch Independent School District and served as PTA President at Memorial Middle School and later at Stratford High School.
Vivacious and naturally friendly, Linda truly never met a stranger and was kind to everyone she encountered. She formed lifelong friendships with neighbors and through her volunteer activities, and she enjoyed entertaining at home. With grace and ease, Linda demonstrated her love for friends and family through her gift of hospitality, taking great care in planning and preparing meals and hosting dinner parties.
Linda was very creative and enjoyed ceramics, needlework, and photography. She gave freely of her time and talents and created beautiful scrapbooks for volunteer organizations. She loved to travel with family and felt very much at home in the Texas Hill Country and Colorado. Linda and Bert shared a love of music and dancing. Music of all types always filled their home, and they spent time together enjoying a wide range of musical events from opera and theatre to folk singers.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents and her brother. She is survived by her beloved husband, Bert Clark, and stepchildren Catherine Margaret Clark, Leslie Jean Clark and husband Dean Hunt, and Charles Stuart Clark and wife Jan, as well as daughter Kristen Clark Arnett and husband Michael. Adoring and adored, Linda was “Grandmommy” to Haley Elizabeth Clark, Evan Andrew Hunt, Bryn McKenna Huntpalmer and husband Richard, Tarleton Quinn Li Qi Hunt, Collins Michael Arnett, and MacLean Alexander Arnett and greatgrandchildren Adelaide Elise Huntpalmer and Darwin Douglas Huntpalmer. While Linda’s time with her family and her beloved husband was cut short by her illness, she was an extraordinary wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, and greatgrandmother and poured out her love and adoration freely, making each family member feel loved beyond measure.
The family wishes to thank her faithful caregivers Faye Morton, Janese Couch and Juan Flores at The Forum at Memorial Woods, all the dedicated caregivers and staff at Colonial Oaks and the compassionate caregivers at New Century Hospice.
A memorial service will be held on August 20 at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Houston Junior Forum P.O. Box 7941, Houston, TX 77270.