of Conway, AR

February 4, 1954 - June 6, 2021

Susan Frances Clark, age 67, passed away Sunday, June 6th after a long battle with pneumonia and a complication following surgery. Susan was born in the Panama Canal Zone to a military family. She was the third child of a healthy young couple who were shocked when they were told that their tiny baby girl had been born with Downes Syndrome (then called Mongolism) a condition with which neither were familiar. Doctors said that Susie might never walk, talk, hear or see, and likely would not live a long life - that they should put her into ''an institution,'' which, in those days meant an institution for the mentally ill. Susie''˜s parents refused to do that, saying they would take her home and love her as long as possible. Susie's parents, Major Felix G Clark, US Army Infantry, and Dorothy Denham Clark bucked the system: those not in mental institutions were often hidden away in attics and basements, their families shamed by the ignorance of others, while Susie's parents proudly took her everywhere.

Susie lived in Georgia, in Wynne, Ft. Smith, North Little Rock, and Little Rock, Arkansas, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Metz, France, Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri and, eventually, at age 12, in Conway, AR at the Arkansas Children's Colony (later renamed Arkansas Human Development Center) one of the nation's first schools for the mentally retarded. Susan was sent to the school after her father had a heart attack that doctors said gave him five years to live. Worries about being able to take care of four children, one of them a special needs child, Dorothy having to go to work for the first time in her married life to fully support the family with a high school education, no outside work experience, were the driving forces for what was the most difficult and painful decision of Susie's parent's lives. For Susie, being sent away to school was confusing, upsetting and scary. Only after her older sister, Linda, went away to college, three years later, was Susie able to accept what felt to her like banishment.

Susie's family first met another mentally retarded child (not living in isolation) while in France when Susie was seven. He was the son of the local oil man and rode on his father's oil delivery truck. Homes there were heated by oil. The oil man made certain that Susie's family never went without oil in the frigid winters when oil was scarce.

One of Susan's greatest accomplishments in life was to act as an unofficial ambassador for the mentally retarded, everywhere she went. Meeting Susie, learning about mental retardation, hearts and minds were changed by the tiny, sweet little girl whose lively face and comic timing made her fun to be around. She loved dancing, was a super fan of The Dick Clark Show; loved the TV show, ''Dark Shadows'' and was fascinated by vampires. Every family get-together required rounds of singing her favorite songs from the Beatles to The Supremes, but her favorite songs were Christmas songs; Christmas was her favorite holiday, followed by Easter. Susie loved having her picture made, especially with her siblings, nieces and nephews.

Susie was also one of the longest residents of The Children's Colony and knew nearly everyone. Though Susie's family all live in other states and countries, they will always miss her and her ability to make everyone laugh, her joy in all she did, and her absolute, unfailing love and devotion to family and friends. Susan was - despite under-estimation of her true abilities - an extraordinary human being, a true innocent, an Earth angel. Susie has returned now to Heaven, where she will be as she could have been but for one small chromosomal breakdown.

Susan is survived by her siblings, Linda Flynn, Dave/Sheila Clark, Mark Clark/Rhea, and nieces Amanda Flynn, Jaquelyn Flynn Stewart/Jason Stewart, Mindole Clark, nephews Matthew and Erik Clark/Lea', and great nephews Nathan Stewart, Felix Clark, great nieces, Lillian and Juliette Stewart and Sophia Clark, as well as two aunts and many cousins.

Visitation will begin at 9:30 am Friday, June 25th, Roller Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, AR (501-224-8300) services from 10:30; transport to National cemetery at 12 pm, followed by brief graveside, 12:30pm, 6/25. Contributions in name of Susan Frances Clark to The Special Olympics in place of flowers, if desired. Friends welcome.

A few of Susan's favorite songs:
1. Angels Among Us, Alabama
2. Monster Mash, Boris Picket
3. I want to Hold Your Hand, The Beatles
4. My Sweet Lord, The Beatles
5. Days Like This, Van Morrison
6. White Christmas, Bing Crosby
7. Yesterday, The Beatles
8. Amazing Grace, various versions: Soweto Gospel Choir, Leanne Rimes, Judy Collins & choir (and others)
9. Free Bird, Lynyrd Skynyrd
10. How Great Thou Art, Elvis Pressley
11. Calling All Angels, Train
12, Turn, Turn, Turn, The Birds
13. Let's Twist Again, Chubby Checkers
14. What a Wonderful World, Louie Armstrong
15. Spirit in the Sky, Norman Greenbaum
16. In My Life, The Beatles
17. Twist and Shout, The Isley Brothers
18. Jingle Bells
19. Sugar Pie Honey Bunch, The Four Tops
20. Run Around Sue, Dion (or Wake Up Little Susie, Everly Brothers...)
21. One More Day, Diamond Rio
22. Paper Doll (dad used to sing) Mills Brothers

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