Gloria Irene Clark's Obituary
Sunrise - September 11, 1944
Sunset - April 3, 2019
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10 (KJV)
The family and friends of Gloria I. Clark would like to Celebrate her Life as a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, daughter, cousin, friend, and mentor.
Gloria Irene Williams Norman Clark was born on the 11th of September 1944 in Dunn, North Carolina. She attended and graduated Harnett High School in 1962. That same year, she met her first husband, Rufus Norman, Jr. and married and moved with him to Brooklyn, New York. This union welcomed her three surviving daughters, Cheryl, Victoria, and Judith.
While raising her three daughters, Gloria attended college focusing on education and administration earning a Bachelor of Science from Montclair State College; a Master Business Administration from Jersey City State College; and a Doctorate from the University of California-Davis. During her collegiate career, she was initiated into Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Pi Epsilon, and Alpha Kappa Alpha. Gloria taught in private schools and public schools in New Jersey, with her last role as a high school administrator. During her tenure at Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey, she met her second husband, Dr. Joe Clark. Both retired from their careers in education and relocated to Gainesville, Florida, a community she has proudly called home for the past twenty years.
Gloria brought her bright smile and keen humor, her most reliable sense of commitment, her lioness-like courage, her innovative creativity, and her unwavering perfectionism to all she did, as a home-maker, care-taker, garden-creator, community server, patron of the arts, mother-mentor, and compassionate friend. Gloria was an active ‘cheerleader’ in the lives of her children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and her Gainesville community. She was a member of the Grand Female Protective Society Lodge # 10 and Greater Fort Clarke Missionary Baptist Church, Gainesville, FL. Gloria was pre-deceased by her mother, Shirley Mae Gilmore and stepfather, Charlie Gilmore, Jr and countless other relatives and friends who were instrumental to her life. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Joe Clark; brothers, Willis McKoy and Johnnie (Mary) McKoy; daughters Cheryl E. Norman, Victoria D. Norman Brown, and Judith I. Norman; stepchildren Joetta (Ronald) Clark Diggs , Joe (Jearl) Clark Jr., Hazel (Shane) Clark Mac, and grandchildren Umar Alim, Carla, Jasmine, and Jason Lee, Satchel and Cole Brown, Joe Clark, III, Talitha Diggs, and Hazel Mac. All who knew her were loved and prayed for by her and will miss her. Gloria passed happily at home on April 3, 2019.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 13, 2019, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the chapel of WILLIAMS-THOMAS FUNERAL HOME WESTAREA, 823 NW 143rd Street, Newberry, FL. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Forest Meadows West, the repast will follow the burial. In lieu of flowers, Contributions can be made to either the Female Protective Lodge #1 12610 NW 39th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32606 or Greater Fort Clarke Missionary Baptist Church 9121 Newberry Road Gainesville, FL 32606.
The family requests that no photographs, filming, or audio recordings be taken at the viewing, funeral ceremony, burial, or repast. Please respect the family’s privacy at this time.
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