Mary Ann Clark

Mary Ann Clark, age 91 years, of Waunakee passed away on October 5th, 2023, at Waunakee Valley nursing home. She was born on January 29, 1932, on the family farm in rural Postville, the daughter of Viola Retrum and Elmer Vamstad.

Mary Ann graduated from Blanchardville High School in 1949 and was the first in her family to attend college, choosing UW Stout.  She left after a year to be closer to home and took a job at Farmer’s Mutual, now known as American Family insurance, where she worked for several years.

She met her husband, James Joseph Clark, at a dance hall in Monticello when she was 18years old. He was playing tenor saxophone in the band. They dated until James was drafted into the US Army, serving in Korea from 1951-1953, but stayed connected by writing letters to each other. They married a year after he returned from Korea on September 4th, 1954.

Mary Ann worked 32years as a statistical typist for the University of Wisconsin Madison, retiring in 1994 at the age of 62. Jim and Mary Ann moved “up north” to Tomahawk where they spent 20 wonderful years of retirement enjoying life on the Jersey flowage. They returned to Waunakee in 2013 to be closer to their family.

Mary Ann loved to play cards and liked to knit. Her love of travel began early in life with a post-graduation trip to Colorado and ended having visited 49/50 states and 11 European countries. She could remember every restaurant she visited and every meal she ate.

She was an avid reader of books from autobiographies to romance novels. She kept current on all news events making for lively conversations.

She believed in God and his promises.

But most of all, Mary Ann loved her family, and they loved her.

She is survived by her husband of 69 years, James; three children James (Mary O’Connor), Jane (Trace) Soper and Nancy (John) Huggett, five grandchildren Mackenzie Clark, Sam (Elizabeth Pelton) Soper, Jacob Soper, Tara (Wes) Nonn, and Mick Karls; four great-grandchildren, Kypton, Beau and Haisley Nonn and Elsie Soper; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Marge (Albert) Jacobson and Virginia (Gordon) Henning, her brother Ole (Jean) Vamstad, and her grandson Zachary Clark.

A church service will be held in her honor at 11:00 am on Wednesday October 18th at Peace Lutheran Church, 701 S. Century Ave., Waunakee.  Family will greet friends from 9:00 am until the time of service. A private burial will take place at York Memorial Lutheran Church in Blanchardville.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Peace Lutheran Church, or the Zachary Clark Radiology Research Resident Fund administered by the UW Foundation at  https://secure.supportuw.org/give/search/.

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Winn-Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

5785 Hwy Q, Waunakee

(608) 849-4513