Virginia Rae Clark

Our beloved Sister and Aunt Virginia Rae “Sis” Clark passed from this world into her Lord’s arms on May 1, 2023.  Virginia was born on the family farm in Delta on May 29, 1934.  Virginia was the sixth of seven children born to John Stockton and Katherine (Schiffer) Clark.  She attended Delta schools and graduated from Delta High School in 1952.  While in High School Virginia took clerical courses with the intent of joining her older sisters in California when she graduated.  She moved to Los Angeles in 1952 and went to work for North American Aviation as a keypunch operator.  Virginia worked within this company as it changed from North American to Rockwell International and eventually to Rocketdyne upon her retirement. 

Virginia took on an active role as a sacristan at St. Mel Catholic Church in Woodland Hills, California.  After retiring from Rocketdyne, she spent nearly every morning there attending to the duties of this ministry.  She made many friends in the church as well, who shared her love of serving.

As a young girl Sis enjoyed music and the piano even though she never took formal lessons.

She found she had a knack for listening to music and then being able to play it on both the piano and the organ.  She was part of a small group in high school who played and sang for various school functions and family parties. This talent stayed with her for her whole life, as well as entertaining friends and family.  Her enduring love of music kept her company as she listened and quietly sang along in her later years. 

Some of the happiest years of Virginia’s life were spent with her mother after Katherine moved from Utah to California. They bought a home together in Calabasas and spent many years entertaining family and friends and travelling.  She loved visiting Germany, taking cruises and bus trips with her retirement group from Rocketdyne.  Virginia would enlist her sisters and mother to go on these trips with her and the most wonderful memories were made!  She also loved going home to Utah and her family.  Her brothers and their children were as close to her as those who lived nearby in California.

“Aunt Sis” was always the one you knew had pictures of all the family and their kids, and their kids’ kids nearby.  She was a welcome visitor in everyone’s home and was encouraged to stay long and often. 

Virginia was preceded in death by both of her parents, John and Katherine Clark, as well as her eldest sister, Marion (Neilan) Dopheide.  She is survived by, and will be greatly missed by, her siblings Dora Mae “Dode” (Doug) Pettibone, Jack (Janet) Clark, Jean (Ed) McGachan, Mathew (Mary) Clark, and Russell “Tony” Clark.  Aunt Sis also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and great grandnieces and grandnephews who will also miss her sweet voice and phone calls.

Virginia’s family would like to thank the staff and caregivers at the Millard County Care Center in Delta for making her life so happy there.  She made great friends after moving back to Delta and everyone was so nice to all the family who came to see her. 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. John Bosco Catholic Mission, 96 S. Center St., Delta, Utah on Friday, May 5, 2023 at 11 a.m. The Rite of Committal and burial will follow at Delta Cemetery.