1927
Margaret
2013
Margaret Clarke
February 11, 1927 — November 1, 2013
Margaret ("Marlee") Blackard was born in 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, daughter of a Methodist minister. She spent her earliest childhood years in Baltimore, then moved with her father's assignment to different churches, residing with her mother and two younger brothers (Embree Blackard, MD and William Blackard, MD; both now deceased) in various North Carolina cities.
Marlee enjoyed church activities, family sing-alongs while her mother played the piano, and outdoor adventures during summers with her extended family at Echo Camp on Raquette Lake in the Adirondack region of upstate New York. Marlee's Grandmother (Sarah Lounsbury-Griffith) inherited Echo Champ from her uncle Phineas Lounsbury, the 53rd Governor of Connecticut. As a budding equestrian, Marlee and her mother started a mounted girl scout troop based at Sedgefield Inn outside Greensboro NC. She took years of dreaded private dancing lessons as a young girl, but in high school began to realize their tremendous value as her grace on the dance floor enhanced her social confidence and popularity. She continued to enjoy dance throughout her life, returning to private lessons and National competitive ballroom dancing in her 70s and 80s.
Marlee attended Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, VA, where she reigned as the college's May Queen. After graduation (1947) she married the late Harry A. Inman, whom she had met up at Raquette Lake when she was only 13. They moved to Charlottesville, VA while he attended law school, and then to the Washington DC area so he could pursue a career in international law. Together they had 3 children (Willliam H. Inman of New York City, Jennifer C. Markworth of Shaker Heights, OH, and David G. Inman of Barrington, RI). Her gift for public speaking and future success in politics was foreshadowed one evening when Harry brought her along to a "Citizens for Eisenhower" dinner event. Someone passed her the microphone and asked her to say something. She delivered a brief impromptu speech, after which President Eisenhower stood up and bowed to her.
During her residence in Alexandria, VA (1953 to 1986), she worked as a bank manager, a writer-editor in the NIH Division of Physician Manpower, and served as aide to VA Senator Wiley Mitchell and to Alexandria Mayor Charles Beatley. She was elected to Alexandria's City Council in 1979 and then to serve as the city's Vice Mayor (the first woman ever elected to this position) in 1985. She served as a member of the City Council-Alexandria Hospital Task Force, as vice-chairman of the regional Water Resources Planning Board, and as representative on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors and on the COG Task Force on the Homeless. She was an active member of the Alexandria League of Women Voters, the Alexandria Community Y Center, the Downtown Ministries, the Alexandria Hospital Board, the Hopkins House Board, the Virginia Historical Society, the Alexandria Volunteer Board, the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program and president of TWIG (Auxiliary of the Alexandria Hospital). She was appointed by the VA governor to serve on multiple health committees for the state. In her spare time, she loved gardening and was president of the Red Hill Garden Club. She loved to cook, entertain, make homemade potpourri, and design her own hats. Marlee strived to serve as a role model for other women, and was recognized with a special award by the Alexandria Commission on the Status of Women. A 1985 newspaper article describing her bipartisan skill in politics wrote, "She brings to council an air of gentility, an Ultrasuede long-time Alexandria presence," and quoted her as saying "There's no limit to what can be done if you don't care who gets the credit." She was named by the Washingtonion Magazine as the "Best Public Official" in Alexandria, and described as "a jewel among the zircons." A street named "Marlee Way" in Alexandria continues to honor her many contributions to that city.
She began a second chapter of her life in 1986 with marriage to the late Alexander B. ("Bun") Clarke, joyfully incorporating his 3 children (Alexander Clarke of Bath Ohio, Cathie Johnson of Swickley, PA, and David Clarke of North Carolina), their spouses and children into her life. She retired from public life and the couple moved to Lake Wylie, SC. They subsequently moved to Charlottesville, VA, She was active in Scenic Virginia where she worked on beautification projects such as billboards and sign control. They enjoyed tennis, music and cultural events, and traveled extensively with friends and to visit their children and grandchildren around the country. Summers would often find them enjoying the Adirondack Mountain scenery and restoring the Inman family camp on Raquette Lake, NY or vacationing with the Clarke family on Lake Chautauqua, NY. She and Bun enjoyed each other's humor and playful spirits, entertaining their children and friends for years with a parlor trick that suggested they could read each other's thoughts. Following the death of her beloved husband in 2002, Marlee moved to the greater Cleveland area. There she belonged to the Intown Cub and the Cleveland Skating Club. She died peacefully at age 86, on November 1, 2013, with her children at her side.
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MARGARET B. CLARKE "Marlee" (nee Blackard) She was the beloved wife of the late Alexander B. Clarke; the dear mother of William H. Inman (Deborah) of NY,NY; Jennifer I. Markworth (Dale E.) of Shaker Hts., OH and David G. Inman (Linda L. Carpenter, MD) of Barrington, RI. Marlee was the stepmother of Alexander Clarke (Cindy Bender) of Bath, OH; Cathie Johnson (Thomas) of Sewickley, PA and David Clarke (Terry) of North Carolina, the dear grandmother of Page Wang, MD (Anthony, MD); Nicole and Hayley Inman; Carrie Markworth; and Clayton and Grace Inmanand the great grandmother of two, step grandmother of eight, and step great grandmother of seven.
Those who wish may make contributions in her name to The Salvation Army, 2507 E.22nd St., Cleveland, OH 44115; Randolph College, 2500 Rivermont Ave, Lynchburg, VA 24503 or Plymouth Church, 2860 Coventry Rd., Shaker Hts., OH, 44120.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, November 15th at 3 PM in the Auditorium of Judson Park, 2181 Ambleside Dr., Cleveland. OH. (Auditorium may also be reached off Chestnut Hills Dr.)
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Marlee enjoyed church activities, family sing-alongs while her mother played the piano, and outdoor adventures during summers with her extended family at Echo Camp on Raquette Lake in the Adirondack region of upstate New York. Marlee's Grandmother (Sarah Lounsbury-Griffith) inherited Echo Champ from her uncle Phineas Lounsbury, the 53rd Governor of Connecticut. As a budding equestrian, Marlee and her mother started a mounted girl scout troop based at Sedgefield Inn outside Greensboro NC. She took years of dreaded private dancing lessons as a young girl, but in high school began to realize their tremendous value as her grace on the dance floor enhanced her social confidence and popularity. She continued to enjoy dance throughout her life, returning to private lessons and National competitive ballroom dancing in her 70s and 80s.
Marlee attended Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, VA, where she reigned as the college's May Queen. After graduation (1947) she married the late Harry A. Inman, whom she had met up at Raquette Lake when she was only 13. They moved to Charlottesville, VA while he attended law school, and then to the Washington DC area so he could pursue a career in international law. Together they had 3 children (Willliam H. Inman of New York City, Jennifer C. Markworth of Shaker Heights, OH, and David G. Inman of Barrington, RI). Her gift for public speaking and future success in politics was foreshadowed one evening when Harry brought her along to a "Citizens for Eisenhower" dinner event. Someone passed her the microphone and asked her to say something. She delivered a brief impromptu speech, after which President Eisenhower stood up and bowed to her.
During her residence in Alexandria, VA (1953 to 1986), she worked as a bank manager, a writer-editor in the NIH Division of Physician Manpower, and served as aide to VA Senator Wiley Mitchell and to Alexandria Mayor Charles Beatley. She was elected to Alexandria's City Council in 1979 and then to serve as the city's Vice Mayor (the first woman ever elected to this position) in 1985. She served as a member of the City Council-Alexandria Hospital Task Force, as vice-chairman of the regional Water Resources Planning Board, and as representative on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors and on the COG Task Force on the Homeless. She was an active member of the Alexandria League of Women Voters, the Alexandria Community Y Center, the Downtown Ministries, the Alexandria Hospital Board, the Hopkins House Board, the Virginia Historical Society, the Alexandria Volunteer Board, the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program and president of TWIG (Auxiliary of the Alexandria Hospital). She was appointed by the VA governor to serve on multiple health committees for the state. In her spare time, she loved gardening and was president of the Red Hill Garden Club. She loved to cook, entertain, make homemade potpourri, and design her own hats. Marlee strived to serve as a role model for other women, and was recognized with a special award by the Alexandria Commission on the Status of Women. A 1985 newspaper article describing her bipartisan skill in politics wrote, "She brings to council an air of gentility, an Ultrasuede long-time Alexandria presence," and quoted her as saying "There's no limit to what can be done if you don't care who gets the credit." She was named by the Washingtonion Magazine as the "Best Public Official" in Alexandria, and described as "a jewel among the zircons." A street named "Marlee Way" in Alexandria continues to honor her many contributions to that city.
She began a second chapter of her life in 1986 with marriage to the late Alexander B. ("Bun") Clarke, joyfully incorporating his 3 children (Alexander Clarke of Bath Ohio, Cathie Johnson of Swickley, PA, and David Clarke of North Carolina), their spouses and children into her life. She retired from public life and the couple moved to Lake Wylie, SC. They subsequently moved to Charlottesville, VA, She was active in Scenic Virginia where she worked on beautification projects such as billboards and sign control. They enjoyed tennis, music and cultural events, and traveled extensively with friends and to visit their children and grandchildren around the country. Summers would often find them enjoying the Adirondack Mountain scenery and restoring the Inman family camp on Raquette Lake, NY or vacationing with the Clarke family on Lake Chautauqua, NY. She and Bun enjoyed each other's humor and playful spirits, entertaining their children and friends for years with a parlor trick that suggested they could read each other's thoughts. Following the death of her beloved husband in 2002, Marlee moved to the greater Cleveland area. There she belonged to the Intown Cub and the Cleveland Skating Club. She died peacefully at age 86, on November 1, 2013, with her children at her side.
_
MARGARET B. CLARKE "Marlee" (nee Blackard) She was the beloved wife of the late Alexander B. Clarke; the dear mother of William H. Inman (Deborah) of NY,NY; Jennifer I. Markworth (Dale E.) of Shaker Hts., OH and David G. Inman (Linda L. Carpenter, MD) of Barrington, RI. Marlee was the stepmother of Alexander Clarke (Cindy Bender) of Bath, OH; Cathie Johnson (Thomas) of Sewickley, PA and David Clarke (Terry) of North Carolina, the dear grandmother of Page Wang, MD (Anthony, MD); Nicole and Hayley Inman; Carrie Markworth; and Clayton and Grace Inmanand the great grandmother of two, step grandmother of eight, and step great grandmother of seven.
Those who wish may make contributions in her name to The Salvation Army, 2507 E.22nd St., Cleveland, OH 44115; Randolph College, 2500 Rivermont Ave, Lynchburg, VA 24503 or Plymouth Church, 2860 Coventry Rd., Shaker Hts., OH, 44120.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, November 15th at 3 PM in the Auditorium of Judson Park, 2181 Ambleside Dr., Cleveland. OH. (Auditorium may also be reached off Chestnut Hills Dr.)
PDF Printable Version
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