Sara Clemons (nee Steinmark)
Sara Steinmark Clemons, 88, passed away at Baptist Hospital on January 5, 2021, from heart failure. She is survived by her children Dr. Mark (Mimi) Clemons of Germantown, TN; Howard (Anne) Clemons of Potomac, MD; Blair (Lonnie) Dworkin of Scottsdale, AZ; and by her son-in-law, Dr. Phillip Mintz of Memphis, TN. She is also survived by her sister, Nili Sauer, with whom she shared her home. Sara was predeceased by her husband, Jack Clemons, her daughter Karen Clemons Mintz, and her parents Saul and Mindel Steinmark.
Sara is survived by 9 grandchildren, to whom she was devoted; Dr. Aaron (Dr. Carrie) Mintz, Lisa Mintz, Laura (Michael) Beutler, Jon (Kathleen) Clemons, Adam Clemons, Ariel Clemons (Dr. Brian Mayrsohn), Danielle Clemons (Eric Fischer), Alexis Dworkin and Sabrina Dworkin; and 6 great grandchildren who were the light of her life: Jack Mintz, Thomas Mintz, Gabriel Clemons, Orly Clemons, Abby Beutler and Ava Mayrsohn.
Sara Clemons was born in Warsaw Poland, on May 21, 1932. Her parents made the difficult decision in 1934 to flee the anti-semitism of Eastern Europe and go to what was then British Mandate Palestine, now Israel. Sara spent her childhood there until they left for the US after World War II, arriving in 1945. She lived in New York, where she learned English and graduated from Herzilya teachers Institute and Hunter College.
Moving to Memphis, Sara married Jack Clemons at the age of 19 and, while her children were young, returned to Memphis State University (now U of M) for a Master’s Degree in History. She was the first Education Director at Beth Sholom Synagogue and taught at the Bornblum Jewish Community School, both without pay in order to help get the schools established. She was devoted to Jewish causes in Memphis and elsewhere, and passionate in her support of the State of Israel.
No person was a stranger to Sara, and everyone was welcome in her home. She was forever learning new skills and could build houses, manage real estate, sew beautiful clothing and cook a fabulous pot of soup which she shared with all. A lifelong learner, Sara could engage you on any topic from art and culture, to politics and history. Her family and friends remember her as a wise source of advice and knowledge and relied on her counsel on matters large and small. Intelligent, inquisitive and independent until the end, she was the center of the family, a true matriarch, and will be deeply missed by all who knew her and loved her.
A private funeral was held on January 8, 2021. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Bornblum Jewish Community School, the Margolin Hebrew Academy, or to a charity of your choice.