Sr. Susan Jane Clark

The Carmelite Sisters of St. Therese announce the death of their Sister Susan Clark on November 9, 2024. Sister was in her 62nd year of Religious life.

From 1960 to 1974, Sister taught Elementary Education at Villa Teresa School in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and other schools in Hermosa Beach California. From 1974-2015, she taught Religious Education in several parishes and retired from St. Joseph Old Cathedral in 2015 as their Director of Religious Education.

Sister was born March 23rd, 1942 in Peoria, IL, to Ralph and Madolyn Clark. They moved to California when Sister was six years old. In addition to her religious congregation, she is survived by her Siblings, Nancy Clark Baglio (Tom), Ralph Clark (Nancy D.), Annmarie Clark Osterhaus (Bill), and Michael Clark (Denise), and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Sister Susan was awarded the Lady of Achievement in 1984. In her nomination letter it was stated:

 “Sister Susan has a beautiful personality. Her ready SMILE reflects the love she has for others. A very dedicated, caring person, willing to help and be supportive of children in every aspect. Sister stated “Take time to listen. Give the gift of yourself in love through prayer then your talents in the present moment can become a bridge bringing God’s love to each person. Remember the loving care Our Blessed Mother has for you and bring her joy by praying the rosary.”

Beauty for Sister Susan was found everywhere in everyone. It fed her love for God and for God's people.  Those who took time to know her discovered this about her at every turn and groups of people took time to recognize this more than once through awards of appreciation. For example, in addition to the "Lady of Achievement Award" which Sister Susan received in 1984 during her time missioned at St. John's parish in Oklahoma's small town of Yukon, Sister Susan also received the "Woman of Merit" award for her urban, inner-city ministry at St Joseph Old Cathedral in 2014. Although she relished going to museums, church events and Native American gatherings, most of all Sister Susan loved visiting with all kinds of people from all walks of life in simple ways. She spent untold hours being present to people who came to parish churches and offices for help and handouts or just to find a listening ear.

One of her special ministerial concerns, which remained throughout her religious life, centered on providing faith enrichment experiences for rural children and their families. For many years, Sister Susan volunteered to teach Vacation Bible Schools in countless rural towns in Oklahoma. Yes, whether rural or inner-city children and their families, all were special to Sister Susan. But most especially, she had a heartfelt place in her heart for the Black Catholic community in urban Tulsa and for the Native American families in the rural towns of Oklahoma. That she tried to prepare herself for service to all of these different "loves of her life" was evidenced by the numerous specialized books that she kept on her personal library shelf that were devoted to the study of different cultural, racial and ethnic groups. This study was above and beyond her formal studies that earned her a college degree in education and teaching credentials as well as enabled her to pursue graduate studies in specialized educational fields. She was the first to go to educational conferences, religious seminars, and other meetings that might enable her to better serve the needs of the people associated with her ministry assignments.

However, there were other sides to Sister Susan. At various times in her life, Sister Susan undertook different forms of art. Especially at the end of her life, she enjoyed watercolor painting, chalk dusting, color pencil and oil pastel design work. Besides these artistic pursuits, dancing, drama, music, singing, and group writing projects found a place in Sister Susan's busy schedule throughout her life. Being a passive spectator at these sorts of events was not enough for Sister Susan; she loved to participate actively in them! Whether writing plays for performances by children, stories to engage the young in adventures that required love, courage and kindness, or poetry that documented the beauty of the natural world surrounding the human family, Sister Susan found ways to nurture the children and their families for whom she had dedicated the greater portion of her life's work and prayer. Her very last dreams, prayers, and words spoken of her were concern for children and their families.

Sister Susan's strength to serve others flowed from her spiritual center or her spirituality which was based upon the "Little Way" of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. It consisted of quiet words and little acts of kindness generated by the ordinary rhythm of the "simple prayer of attention to the presence of the Jesus" who communicated constantly within her through her daily prayer practices. These practices included celebrating communally the great thanksgiving prayers of the daily Eucharistic gathering, participating in spoken and sung morning and evening prayer, and meditating upon the life of the Lord Jesus as fostered by the Rosary linked to the Gospel passages concerning Jesus, Mary, Joseph and other biblical figures and events. These practices, combined with her spiritual reading and, in her last years, along with her weekly Stations of the Cross, grounded the ordinary days of her life with an extraordinary ability to engage others who were able to feel her concern for them on a daily basis.

Lastly, Sister Susan had a special natural talent that involved creating beautiful flower arrangements for church altars, dining room tables, and special events. She used to say that she was introduced to flower arranging by her mother. Still her flower arranging ability had a captivating "heart and soul" quality that resulted from more than just observation in her early life. She spent hours on a regular basis during most of her adult life walking through flower gardens and hiking in parks and woodlands, as well as climbing occasional hills plus a mountain or two. All these things enhanced her natural sense of beauty that remains a legacy for all of us who have known and loved her.

A Vigil Prayer Service will be held on November 22, 2024 at 6:00 pm with a reception and remembrances following in the Grand Theater. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be November 23, 2024 at 10:00 am. Both services will be at St. Ann’s Retirement Center Chapel, 7501 West Britton Rd., OKC, OK.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Therese Endowment Fund. Checks may be sent to Carmelite Sisters Convent, Attn: Sister Barbara Joseph, Superior at 7501 West Britton Rd. #140, OKC, OK 73132.