Theresa Ann Clark

Theresa Ann Clark

Mount Vernon

Theresa Ann Clark, 78, passed away May 29, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by the love of family and close friends. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Mount Vernon. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the Mass. Burial: Mount Vernon Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements are with Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon.

Born to Dorothy (Hartl) and Robert Vislisel on Aug. 9, 1944, in Mount Vernon, Iowa, Theresa was the sister of Jim (Melanii Torrence), Rita (Jack Wiese), Nancy (Greg Norlin), David (Julie Peters), and Dianne (Dave Graham).

She married the love of her life, Douglas Lee Clark, on Nov. 28, 1964. By her account it was love at first sight when she saw him through the window of her school bus, and she was fond of recalling how they fell for each other while dancing at the community center as teenagers. Their inspiring union has been more than 58 years strong.

Theresa didn’t seek the spotlight—but she deserved one. She graduated Sept. 5, 1966, from St. Luke’s School of Nursing, Davenport, Iowa, as an RN. She worked for more than 38 years at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids where she was an admired and dedicated nurse. Although she was soft-spoken, she held herself and her colleagues to a high standard.

Together with Doug she raised two sons, William (Jill Wolrab) of Mount Vernon and Jeffrey (Brenda Bremner) of Cedar Falls, in whom she instilled the importance of hard work and commitment to education. She was proud to see those values reflected in her grandchildren: Hannah and Colden (Bill) and Gabriel and Jenna (Jeff).

She cherished time spent with her siblings, nieces and nephews, in-laws and the rest of her wonderful extended family and lifelong friends, who are too numerous to list. Theresa felt blessed to have been able to enjoy many giggles with them, whether playing cards on a lakeside porch in Minnesota or sharing a freshly baked kolache. Theresa loved wildflowers, gardening, making cornhusk dolls, crocheting, collecting antiques, and playing Scrabble. She and Doug nurtured Iowa’s largest apple tree, which bore beautiful fruit for the many pies she baked.

The family would like to express their deep appreciation to Dr. Jenigiri and staff for their kindness and care.

Memorials may be directed to the nursing department through the St. Luke’s Foundation or to the Mount Vernon Community School District Alumni Association.

Please share your love and support with Theresa’s family on her Tribute Wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under Obituaries.