Beatrice W (Crosby) Clarke

Beatrice, 99, passed away peacefully on January 4, 2024. She was the beloved mother of Sandy and the loving wife of Larry Clarke. They were married for 76 years until his death in 2022.

Bea was born in South Carolina on April 18, 1924. Preceding her in death were her parents, Jen and Winifred Crosby and Bea's two sisters, Francis and Vera. Bea graduated from Ridgeland High School in 1941. She then graduated from St. Joseph Hospital in Savannah, Georgia as a registered nurse in 1945.

Shortly after graduation, she met and married Larry Clarke who was stationed in Savannah while in the Army Air Corp. They later moved to Cleveland where Larry was originally from. They have on daughter, Sandy, who is the light of their life. She has a Master's degree in Psychology and retired from the City of Akron Health Dept.

Through the years the family moved from Cleveland to Lima, Ohio then Toledo and lived many years in the Chicago area of Illinois. Bea worked as a nurse in various capacities in each of those cities. She retired as Director of Nursing in a 310-bed facility in Chicago. Over the course of her 32-year career, she helped many people and made a large number of friends. She was always proud to be a nurse.

Bea and Larry moved to Tallmadge, Ohio when they both retired. They enjoyed being retired by spending two winters in Florida and 17 winters in Arizona. They both loved to travel, visiting Europe, Mexico, Canada and almost all of the United States. Bea's cherished pastimes were playing cards, especially bridge, and working in her yard planting flowers. Bea was a member and faithfully attended First Congregational Church in Tallmadge and had many friends in the Tallmadge Primetimers.

Visitation will be 12:30 until 2:00 p.m., Thursday, January 11, 2024 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

Funeral service will follow visitation at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Daniel Doty officiating.

Interment will be at Tallmadge Cemetery.