Marjorie Clark (19 Sep 1920 - 4 Mar 2021)

In loving memory of Marjorie Clark who sadly passed away on 4th March 2021.

The video tribute & service by Robert at funeralvideo.uk has been uploaded for viewing HERE

Eulogy for Marjorie Clark, written by her family

1) We’ll start with a history:
Marjorie was born in 1920 in Hereford, to Leonard Morris and Isabella Rouse. She had one older sister, Leonora. At the age of seven, Marjorie moved with her family to Stourbridge, where her father had a job driving Midland Red buses. She walked two hours a day to Old Swinford Girls School, which she left when she was 14. After that, she was employed by Arden Knitware in Birmingham as a finisher, sewing up seams - with some clothes purchased by royalty.

The Second World War broke out when Marjorie was 19. She was called to a munitions factory in Hurtleberry, to fill 303 bullets with gunpowder. I recall her telling me that the factory was very loud - particularly when the bullets accidentally exploded, which would result in an almighty clatter.

She married Cran Young in May 1943, who she had known since she was a child. He served as a Flight Engineer in the RAF during the war, but tragedy struck in October when his Halifax Bomber was shot down over France, while he was dropping supplies for the Free French. Marjorie was widowed at 22.

Tragically, Cran had died on his mother's birthday, and Marjorie, although shattered by the loss, could only take one day off to mourn, with her job essential in the munitions factory. Marjorie paid the ultimate sacrifice in losing her husband, Cran, after being married for just a few months. On VE day when everybody was celebrating the end of the war, she spent the day in bed, ill, crying as she knew her husband would not be returning.

However, four years later, while on holiday at Weston-super-Mare, she met her future husband Norman Clark in the Winter Gardens dance hall.

Norman was in the RAF, as Cran had been. He was a Warrant Officer stationed at the nearby Locking Camp, and had completed his tour of 32 ops flying as a Rear Gunner in Lancaster Bombers during the war. He may perhaps even have fired some of the 303 bullets that Marjorie had made.

They married in 1947 with Marjorie eventually relocating to Shorne with Norman. They built a house there, which they named Bustle Holme, and they had a single son - our father, Vaughan, in 1950.

She took in dressmaking and joined the local Women's Institute in 1957, becoming their longest serving member at age 97. Despite knowing no-one when she first moved to Shorne, she quickly became well known and highly involved in the local village community.

In 1990, Norman died, making Marjorie a War Widow through Cran, and she would go on to march at the Cenotaph. At one war widow's convention, she talked to Camilla and Prince Charles who said, "You must come to Highgrove". Later, through the War Widows Association she indeed did go to Highgrove, where in a marquee, Prince Charles pointed at her and said 'You've come!'
Dad’s comment on this was that “Well, at 4ft10ins with white hair she's not hard to recognise!”

Between 1990 and 1994, Marjorie’s three grandchildren were born to my mother and father, Vaughan and Wendy - myself (Kari), Laif, and Vena Clark. She became known as “Grandma Dogs” to us, due to the Dachshund she had, named Tammy. We visited her most Sundays throughout the early years of our childhood.

Grandma lived in Shorne at Bustle Holme until 2016, having lived there for 73 years. She moved in with our mother and father in Vigo five years ago, which allowed her to be surrounded by close family.

Throughout this period of her life, she remained active and in good health both mentally and physically, despite her age - I remember our family GP once commented that she had better blood pressure than he did!

In September of last year, she turned 100 years old, receiving a blue envelope with her card from the Queen. She died at the beginning of March this year, after a period of short illness, in her sleep, peacefully, with no pain.

2) “My mother”: compiled by Vaughan, Marjorie’s son and our father
When she moved from the Midlands to Shorne she knew no one, other than my Dad's family. She joined Shorne & Thong Womens Institute and was made very welcome with her "Brummie" accent. It was to become her life! Having been in the sewing trade she was interested in Craft and was asked to be the "Handicraft Rep". She enjoyed this greatly and cycled around the area to attend different classes of patch work, lace making and embroidery, as well as making lamp shades, knitting for the Services and children. She hired the Village Hall to have speakers advising on making your own clothes and other topics of interest. She later joined Mrs Jones, to run the "White Elephant" stall which was very popular. She did this for many years.
She was very active (My grandad called her "Trot"), going to Denman College 5 times, whilst joining the drama, choir, darts and whist groups. She regularly ran in the Shorne pancake race, could call bingo, was on the committee and helped wherever she could, eventually leaving as the longest serving member at 98. My grandad had little time for the WI but when he retired, he joined their outings to places like the Chelsea flower show, Lavender fields, Kew gardens etc and formed a different opinion.
My grandmother and my father have always been very close. They say you cannot beat a Mother's love. My Dad cannot recall an argument, and she supported all my Dad did and through his periods of illness with Bi-Polar, as has Wendy, my mother. Grandma helped Dad with his paper round when he was young, getting out at 7.15 am, in all weathers for 7 years! She enjoyed drinking tea, chocolate, watching the TV, the news, reading to a late age and could knock out a speech, verbatim.
Grandma was popular, liked speaking to everyone, often being picked up with her Brummie accent. She told me once that she was jealous of no one. Her friends have told my Dad that they will remember her for always being immaculate in her dress, sociable and approachable. In Burdett Avenue she came to be known as the "Queen" and was known to all. They missed her when she moved to Vigo in 2016.
Steff, Grandma’s Niece made the following comments: "If it was a grotty day, Aunty would say, "It's only weather Stephanie". The subject of the Industrial Revolution came up and Grandma explained it to her. Aunty has always been a perfect example of how to deal with life in a positive "no nonsense", happy way. She has always had an enquiring mind, keeping herself on form both mentally and physically. She has been kindness itself to me."

3) Grandma had a reputation for coming up with the unexpected: we have a selection of particularly memorable occasions
At 98 she loved to help with the ironing...on top of her pile my family once found a neatly ironed tissue.
Grandma had a fantastic new word for describing not having a starter or dessert.....a disaster.
Grandma also had an uncanny reputation for winning raffles - in one particular case, she described herself as winning… “Dark chocolate, daffodils and some PG chips.”
Dad took Grandma to have a check up on her one tooth. It needed a filling.
On another occasion, she asked: “Vaughan, why isn't my car window clean like yours?” Dad: “Because I've got it down, Mother.”
“Ray didn't realise the wall was made of elastoplast.” Dad: “You mean plaster board, Mother.”
Whilst staying with our Auntie Steff once Grandma was introduced to the drink QE2… Dad: “You mean J2O, Mother.”
Grandma… “Look at that windchime”....Dad: “That's a 3 blade wind turbine, Mother.”
Dad was burning off paint around the lounge window… “Vaughan, you should wear a mask when you are blow drying.”
Grandma… The church has a quiche for children.... Dad: “You mean creche, Mother.”
Grandma...Jennifer lives near that Nuclear place they call sellotape. Dad: “You mean Sellofield, Mother.”
Grandma...looking in the pond. These newts then, do they grow into frogs? Dad: “No Mother, tadpoles grow into frogs.”
Grandma in Finland, keen to show off her knowledge......that's a JCB. Dad: “No Mother, that's a combine harvester.” This was a particular favourite of Wendy's.

4) To finish, we have some of Grandma’s favourite pieces of wisdom:
1) Children will get dirty when they are happy. As long as their mind is well nourished who cares about the state of the hands and knees?

2) Only the young can be cynical, only the young have the right. They haven't made the mistakes yet, but they will.

3) True love is like building a house, brick by brick. You value each brick whether it is rough or smooth.

4) Teach a child how he should live and he will remember it for the rest of his life.

5) On getting through the war (very much relevant in the current pandemic): We just had to do our best to get on with things.

6) An honest appraisal of one's faults, now and then, is an essential part of life.

7) Young people learn through our example, set them a good one.

8) The earth is ours but only in trust. Let us tread lightly as we enjoy its beauty and keep it safe for those in our footsteps.