Funeral services for Fern Clark, 82 of Portales, will be at 2:00 PM, Sat., Feb. 24, 2018 at the Emmanuel Baptist Church with Rev. David Taylor officiating, assisted by Roy Rackler. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Tres Hernandez, Jimmy Roberts, Fernie Tapia, Kenny Walker, Miguel Barrera and Mark McAfee serving as pallbearers.
Joyce LaFern Clark, known to most people as “Fern,” was born Mar. 4, 1935 in Borger, TX to the home of Lillian (Burton) and Orville Yates, and died at her home in Portales on Feb. 19, 2018. Fern grew up in Borger, and married Leo “Royce” Clark in Weatherford, TX on July 16, 1950. They began their life together in Borger, moved to Dumas, moved to Amarillo, and to Canyon, TX before coming to Portales in 1990.
Fern was an excellent seamstress, and sewed shirts and ties and even suits for her husband, as well as clothing for herself. She was a faithful member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church. Fern’s delicious pies brought top prices every year at the youth group auction. Her specialties were chocolate, lemon, coconut and Royce’s favorite, raisin cream.
She is survived by a son, Toney Clark of Nixa, MO; a daughter-in-law, Ann Clark of Lubbock, TX; two grandchildren, Abbey Jaimasen and Tres (Joy) Hernandez; and a great-grandchild, Zoe Hernandez. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Billy and Tracy Yates, two daughters, Carolyn Ann Clark who died as an infant and Brenda Hernandez, and by her husband, Royce who died May 27, 2017.
