Lillian Elizabeth Patton Clark

Lillian Elizabeth Patton Clark lived all 101 years of her life FULLY! She was the third of seven children to born to Oattie and William Patton. Lillian was born in Flat Lick, Kentucky on September 30, 1920. Her siblings told the story of if something was broken, how their mother lined the children up to ask questions and determine who the culprit was and should be punished. When Lillian was the culprit, she would run. But that didn’t get her out of trouble as Mom sent her sister to chase her and bring her back. Despite all of that, Lillian went on to graduate Valedictorian of her high school class. Lillian met a boy at school whom she later married. Banks Clark was her soulmate. Jobs were scarce in the south, and they heard there was a booming automotive industry in Detroit that would bring a better living to their growing family that now included two daughters--Willie Jean and Darlene. Lillian supported her husband in everything he did. While many women supported their families by taking on domestic work in white homes, Banks asked that she stay home and care for their daughters and make sure he had dinner ready when he got home from work. And so she did. Lillian made sure her daughters were properly schooled and took piano lessons, kept an immaculate home, planted, grew and harvested from a plentiful garden; canned vegetables; quilted; joined clubs and volunteered. But she most importantly had dinner ready by 3:30. Saturday was a day for the family to shop for the week as Lillian never learned to drive; and Sunday was a day for church, a bigger meal and rest. Banks heard the call to the ministry and Lillian became protective of his time to study. For years, Lillian remembered the subject of his trial sermon: “We love Him because He first loved us.” Banks left his home church in Detroit to become the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Amherstburg in Ontario, CA. The 1960s brought wedding bells and sons-in-law into the family. Lillian asked her brothers to escort her daughters down the aisle since their father would be officiating their weddings. The 1960s also brought them a total of four grandchildren, a girl and a boy for each daughter. As Lillian’s daughters moved on to care for their own families and Banks retired, that left more time for gardening, volunteering and a new activity—raising grandchildren. Summers were the most fun as all four grandchildren could stay at Granny & Granddaddy’s like it was summer camp. We’d go fishing, have pizza, sing songs in the car, jump in the bed, put barrettes in Granddaddy’s hair…and sit quietly during Wednesday night Bible Study and Sunday church service. Well one of us did. Lillian served at the Amherstburg church in any capacity she was needed. You could find Lillian cooking, cleaning, teaching Sunday School or delivering the keynote message for church programs. Lillian lived a full life of church events, gardening, sons-in-law, grandchildren and even a week-long trial with a puppy. Lillian never stayed overnight in a hospital until she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, Lillian went on to live 26 years as a breast cancer survivor. Luke 12:48 says “…and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. God entrusted her with caring for many people, issues and things. She believed that it was her obligation to support, teach and nurture. Lillian lost her husband in 1983 and immersed herself into life with her children and grandchildren. Her daughters later went to be with the Lord and it was her grandchildren who made sure she had all that she needed. She came to ballet recitals, graduations, football games and more. Yet it was Granny who was still teaching us. During the election season, we asked her to vote by absentee ballot. She would have no part explaining, “They look for me to come in and vote”. And so we drove her to her polling place 45 minutes from our homes. The real lesson in Granny’s gardening is the peace she found in the process. Granny had faith and hope that the work she did would bring joy, beauty, food, and the opportunity for her to connect with family and friends. With that faith and hope she found peace. Her faith was that the dirty, backbreaking, exhausting work would all lead to bringing joy to those she loved the most…and in that she found peace through faith and hope. Lillian will join her husband that she spoke about daily throughout her days in Memory Care; her daughters Willie Jean Lewis and Darlene Gibbons; all of her siblings: Kendall, Dorothy, WK, Earl, Mildred and Charles. Lillian leaves to cherish her memory: four grandchildren Jacquie Lewis-Kemp (Steve), Terri Gibbons (Paul), William Gibbons (Adalis), Jeff Lewis (Alice) eight great-grandchildren: Nicole Gibbons, Jason Prince, Steve Kemp II, James Lewis II, Julie Lewis, William Gibbons Jr., Noah Gibbons, Noeme Gibbons, and two great-great grandchildren Avery Allen and Ethan Sparks, nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, and her Arden Courts family. Mrs. Clarks service will be livestreamed through the Hope Methodist Church website: www.hopeumc.org The funeral program and obituary can be found on the Photos page on her tribute.

Lillian Elizabeth Patton Clark

September 30, 1920 - October 25, 2021