Thelma Clark

Thelma Clark, née Truelove, age 84, passed away peacefully on November 10, 2019 at Northeast Ga Medical Center surrounded by friends and family. Born December 25, 1934 in Gainesville, Ga., to farmers Kimsey and Effie Truelove, she was the youngest of six children. Careful to preserve her status as the baby of the family, she regularly got her elder siblings into trouble, especially her brother, Charlie. At seventeen, she ran off to the courthouse to marry E. L. Clark, who thereafter insisted she skip her high school senior trip to Panama City (a good call on his part). They lived with his family in a one-hundred-year-old farmhouse, where Thelma was given the nickname “Baby Snooks.” United by their aspirations and determination, which knew no bounds, she and E.L. built a housing and real estate company (E.L. Clark Building) from the ground up, opened many more businesses, and made many, many friends during their adventures. Creative and artistic, Thelma did a variety of things apart from her day-to-day job as a dental hygienist and partner in the business, including hand-painting and selling dolls. She enjoyed her social life immensely and regularly told fun family stories that, if they went public, would probably land several people in jail. Always dreaming big dreams, in her seventies, she opened a florist and later expanded the business to a second store. She is survived by her loving husband, E. L. Clark; her wonderful daughter, Dana Ferguson (who could have made something of herself); her favorite son-in-law, Mike Ferguson; her grandchildren, Drew Ferguson and Stephanie Garrett (whom she agreed to babysit once only); her grandchildren-in-law, Nichole Ferguson and Kyle Garrett (to whom she was thankful for preventing her grandchildren from dying single); her great-granddaughter, Annabella Jane Garrett (of whose teeth she was immensely proud); her cat, Muffin, and her dog, Butch. The family thanks God (in Birmingham) for the joy of knowing and loving her.  Visitation will be held on Monday, November 11, 2019 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  Please join us to commemorate her passing at Strickland Funeral Home Chapel, Tuesday, November 12, at 2 p.m. In lieu of donations, the family requests flowers. Lots of them.