Mary Alif Clark

1915 - 2015  (100 years)

• Name	Mary Alif Clark  [1, 2, 3]
  Born	4 May 1915	Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Female
  Died	15 Nov 2015	Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas   [3]
  Buried	Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas   [3]
  Notes	Larry Crocker shows that she married (1) Elbert Dean SIMMONS, and they were the parents of Marvin Dean (b. 4 Aug 1936 in Newton County) and Betty Jean SIMMONS (b. 14 Sep 1939); (2) Joseph Johnson POLLARD, Jr., and they were the parents of Carolyn Ann POLLARD (born 4 Dec 1947 in Pineland, Sabine County, Texas); and (3) John William COTTEN. Mary "Alif" Cotten, by some, fondly remembered as "Puddin", went to be with Jesus on Sunday, November 15, 2015 at the age of one hundred, six months, and one day. She was born on May 14, 1915, in Sabine County to Frances Edward "Edna" Ener and James Anderson Clark. Mom learned to sew at a very young age and this benefited her greatly throughout her life. She sewed for family, friends, and was a seamstress at a cleaners for part of her working career. Her nieces, Edna Earl and Francis , who grew up with her, shared that she not only made her own clothes but also made theirs as well. I as her youngest daughter always had pretty clothes, bed spreads and curtains, a beautiful wedding gown, and finally, children who always looked adorable in their clothes Grandma made them. This could have been the beginning of always doing for others. While attending and completing high school in Pineland, she enjoyed playing on the basketball team. Mother lived in Beaumont for most of her adult years and held several jobs as she provided for her three children with support from the family who were always there for each other with love. While working at Montgomery Wards as a receiving clerk, she met and later married John William Cotten in 1954. They were married for thirty-two years before he passed on September 18, 1986. After his death, mother moved to Lumberton just down the street from me, her youngest daughter, where my family enjoyed many happy times and much love and support in sorrowful and difficult times. The legacy that began many years before with Grandma and Grandpa Clark, of family always helping one another, continued on. In her mid-eighties, she moved back to Beaumont living in two retirement homes and finally settling at Serenity Assisted Living where she resided till she went home peacefully. In honor of my mother, I would like to share her testimony. Around sixty years ago, mother heard a sermon at Central Baptist regarding forgiveness. Even though she was Christian from a very young age, she often felt unworthy to serve in a leadership role in the Christian Community, however this sermon opened her eyes to the Lord's unconditional love and from that day forward, mother was able to forgive herself as well. She then sang in the church choir, became active in the WMU where she served as President for many years, and taught Sunday school classes well into her mid 80's. Upon moving into the various retirement homes and being no longer able to attend her home church services, she read her Bible daily and prayed for family and friends. For those of you who are here today, I truly believe you were in those fervent prayers. In lieu of a commemorative video, my sister and I beseech each of you to picture, remember and reflect on each special memory dear to your hearts. Part of those memories pictured are of mother's love for times spent at Grandpa Clark's, family reunions, holiday gatherings, and especially the many years our brother Marvin and his family from Tennessee spent Christmas's in our home filling it with memories that will always remain in our hearts. Some of the happiest memories will be of the travels she made throughout the states and Europe with family and friends. Many of us who were close to Mom knew her love and passion for sitting around a table playing games such as Mexican Train, Chicken Foot, Go Fish, with the younger group, Wahoo, and most of all Skip-Bo, which led to her being affectionately known as the "Skip-Bo Queen". May we honor a long life of one hundred years by carrying on the legacy she made for us which is to live out a strong faith in our Heavenly Father and always praying fervently for one another. Copied from the Forest Lawn Funeral Home website (Dignity Memorial) An abbreviated version was published in The Sabine County Reporter, December 9, 2015, Page 10
  Person ID	I28235	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	3 Jan 2016

  
  

  Father	James Anderson Clark,   b. 5 Apr 1883, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 24 Feb 1971, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas  (Age 87 years)
  Mother	Francis Edna Ener,   b. 12 May 1879, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 25 Oct 1949, Sabine County, Texas  (Age 70 years)
  Married	7 May 1903	Sabine County, Texas   [1, 2]
  	Marriage information from Sabine County Marriages 1875-1900; 1900-1910 and Prior to 1875 by Blanche Toole as well as Sabine County, Texas Marriages 1880-1930 Volume 1 by Julia Iles Freeman and shows JamesAnderson Clark and Edna Ener Marriage Information: Sabine County, Texas Marriage Records Volume B Page 167 (Courtesy of Larry Crocker)
  Family ID	F9156	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 4 May 1915 - Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Died - 15 Nov 2015 - Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas Buried - - Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S563] Crocker, Larry--Family Researcher (larry@larrycrocker.com). [S1305] Clark, John W. "Some Descendants of William Clark of Sabine County, Texas" (American Reference Publishing Co., Ste. 262-250, Ridgleas Bank Building, Fort Worth, Texas 76116, c. 1971), (This book was complied by John William Clark, 1023 Harris Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107 in honor of William Clark...information was obtained from family records and interviews with relatives having first hand knowledge of the facts; census records of South Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas; cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions; library books in Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin, Hemphill, Lufkin and Nacogdoches, and letters from many interested people all over the country willing to help and be helped. A copy of this book was found by Trudy Cox at the Abilene Christina Unversity Brown Library and xeroxed by her, and a copy sent to Melinda McLemore Strong in San Antonio, Texas.), p. 23 (Reliability: 3). [S336] The Sabine County Reporter, P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas (Published Weekly), (Founded in 1883, The Sabine County Reporter (USPS 474-660) is published once a week on Wednesday. The Reporter is Published by Sabine County Reporter, Inc. Postmaster: Send change of address to P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas 75948-0700. The Sabine County Reporter and The Rambler merged March 1, 1988. Member National Newspaper Association and Texas Press Association.), December 9, 2015, Page 10 (Reliability: 3).