Nereja Clark

OGDEN- Nereja Clark, 83, passed away November 12, 2007 at Wasatch Care Center in Ogden, Utah.

She was born in Liberty, Utah to Walter Andrew Clark and Zenna Elizabeth Hill on September 29, 1924. She spent her early years enjoying life on the farm and playing with her brothers and sisters. The family moved to Ogden where she attended Grant School and participated in the first Special Education program in Weber County. The family continued to spend summers at the farmhouse in Liberty.

She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and attended the Fourth Ward where many caring people befriended and loved her.

Nereja''s parents were devoted to her and faithfully took care of her every need. After their death, her brother Lloyd and wife Norma, and her sister Elaine took responsibility for her care with the help of her brother Elwood and sisters Mary and Selma.

She worked for several years at the Deseret Industries and later at the Sheltered Workshop, and Enable Industries in Ogden. It was there that she received the nickname "Curly". She later participated in their retired program. After her parents death she moved next door to the Fourth Ward Chapel at Mrs. Hardy''s boarding house for special needs people. For the past several years she has lived at St. Benedict''s Manor with the TURN program where she had wonderful caregivers, Angie, Bambi, Lolita and many, many others. She attended the L.D.S. Branch at St. Benedict''s Manor where she faithfully read a scripture each week. She has been living at Wasatch Care for the last ten months.

Nereja loved her nieces and nephews and each Christmas they received a carefully chosen gift until they were grown. Some of her favorite things were walking to town each Saturday to "splurge", trips to Wendover to hit the "Jackpot", McDonalds, Lagoon, her birthday, and Christmas Eve. She loved taking pictures and she loved babies, Solitaire and chocolate Buddy Bars. She loved to participate in the Special Olympics. She loved music and had a large collection of records and tapes. Special loves over the years were Tommy Dorsey, Liberace, Gene Autry, and Elvis. Her huge stuffed animal and doll collection filled a room, and she loved receiving them from friends and relatives. Her favorite, however, was her beloved "Simba" that never left her side.

She made many trips to California with her parents. After their death, the most exciting yearly event was flying to Southern California, on her own, to visit her sisters, Mary and Selma. While there they would spend a day at her very favorite place in all the world, Disneyland.

Nereja is survived by three sisters and one brother, Mary Brown, Lakewood, California; Selma (Alma) Kreipl, San Clemente, California; Elaine Garner, Ogden, Utah, and Elwood (Joyce) Clark, Kaysville, Utah. She is also survived by 21 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Lloyd, two infant brothers, Lyle and Raymond, one sister-in-law, Norma Clark, and one brother-in law, Wayne Garner, her grandparents, Andrew and Mary Alice Clark, and Edwin and Mary "May" Hill, many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Many thanks to the wonderful nurses and aids that took care of her and showed her great love.

Funeral services will be held at Lindquist Mortuary , 3408 Washington Blvd. on Saturday November 17, 2007 at 11:00 A M.

A viewing for family and friends will be held prior to the funeral on Saturday the 17th from 9:45 to 10:45 at the mortuary.

Interment at Liberty Cemetery, Liberty, Utah