Dona Clark, 96, died June 3, 2020, from complications of COVID-19. Dona grew up in St. Anthony Park where her pleasant memories included a large extended family, riding lessons in the Hippodrome on the State Fairgrounds and streetcar rides to wherever she needed to go.
Dona graduated from Murray High School, then earned her degree in medical technology from the University of Minnesota. In a lab at the U of M, she met Robert Clark, her future husband who was a medical student at the time. She worked briefly as a chemist at the Food and Drug Administration.
Dona and Bob married in 1946 and had five children. They lived in a WWII barracks in Grove East, near the U of M, then moved to Bloomington briefly, then Golden Valley for 28 years and lastly Bloomington for 30 years in retirement.
During her life, Dona was a volunteer in many activities. They included Cub Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, Junior Great Books leader, Planned Parenthood, DFL and League of Women Voters. In the early 1970s, Dona returned to the U of M and earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Afterwards, she worked many years as a marriage and family counselor.
In retirement, Dona continued to volunteer helping seniors complete their taxes, loved singing and entertaining family and friends and attending plays. She loved all things Jane Austen.
There was no skill, task or problem Dona wouldn’t undertake. She sewed most of her own clothes and even stitched together a screen house. She also became an accomplished amateur carpenter, designing and building much of the family lake cabin, where the family spent many happy times together. Dona was predeceased by her parents, Helga and John Simpson, her husband Dr. Robert Clark, and her daughter, Margaret (Peggy) Cross. She is survived by four children: Anne Collins (John), James Clark (Kathy), Alice Cooney (Martin), Robert Clark (Joan) and son-in-law Stephen Cross; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. A celebration will be held when it is safe to gather. Memorials preferred that would help people in need.
