Alpha "Nell" Clark

Alpha (Nell) Clark entered Heaven while peacefully asleep in her home on Sunday, November 28, 2021 at the age of 85 years. Born to parents William Franklin Morgan and Alpha Marian (Alfred) Morgan in Center Hill, Texas on October 12, 1936, she was raised in a simple country home, traveling to the “big” town of Crockett once a month in a horse drawn wagon to purchase the supplies that they did not grow for themselves. When Nell was 12, her family moved to Houston due to her father’s health and the prospect of a better job and life. She found herself in a different world as she had to take three different city buses to get to the three-story school that she attended. It was during her junior year of high school that she met the young man who would become the love of her life, best friend, and husband. Jerry Clark was devoted to Nell, though he had the teenage “bad boy” reputation, and her parents were not immediately keen on their relationship, but Nell’s heart knew different. Many years later, her mother remarked: “Jerry was not the man I would have chosen for Nell to marry, but I am so glad God knew better than me. I could not ask for a better husband for her.” Nell and Jerry were married when they eloped on April 4, 1953, and the 47-year marriage was filled with a deep and steadfast love. In 1954, Nell began living her dream of being a mother when she gave birth to a son, Gerald Albert Clark, Jr, and only 15 months later she welcomed a daughter, Cynthia Nell Clark. After several years of praying, their home was blessed with another son, Jonathan Edward Clark, in1963. Soon after they were married, Jerry, through the witness of a co-worker, accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. There was such a dramatic change in his life that Nell realized that, although she had been a good person, she also needed that personal relationship with the Lord and, a year later, Nell also accepted Christ. The couple’s commitment to the Lord led them in nurturing a family devoted to the Lord and answering the call to serve as a pastor and pastor’s wife for 35 years. Nell and Jerry were very involved in helping to establish the Sherwood Baptist Church in Houston, and later Jerry became pastor of the church. In October of 1972, Nell and Jerry moved to Dumas, Texas to accept the call as pastor of Bible Baptist Church, where they served together until December of 2000, when the Lord called Jerry home. Nell was a wonderful and hard-working pastor’s wife who touched countless lives in both daily and ministerial life, especially in the area of children’s ministry, as her special love was teaching children and even leading the youth choir, for which she learned to play the piano and sang with a beautiful alto voice. Following the passing of her husband, Nell made the decision to move to San Angelo, Texas where several family members were already living. She and her daughter moved into a house together and this would be the last move Nell made until she made the move to glory. Soon after the move to San Angelo, she joined the Central Faith Baptist Church where, two years later, Nell’s older son, Gerald Clark, became pastor. She continued to serve the Lord by helping in the children’s and women’s ministry, performing duties of church clerk, and as a continual prayer warrior. Nell leaves a beautiful legacy as a devoted servant of the Lord, Godly pastor’s wife, nurturing mother, and doting grandmother. Nell was preceded in death by her husband Jerry Clark, parents, Bill and Alpha Morgan, brother Billy Morgan, son-in-law Roger Hickey, and daughter-in-law Gail Clark. She is survived by her sister, Jane Burcham, and husband, David, of Houston, Texas. She also leaves her legacy to three children: Gerald Clark Jr. and Cynthia Hickey, both of San Angelo, and Jon Clark and wife, Tina, of Amarillo. Nell was grandmother to seven--Tamara (Clark) Edwards and husband, Chris, of San Angelo; Eugene Clark and wife, Shandra, of Rockwall; Rachael (Clark) Diaz and husband, Rudy, of San Angelo; Miriam (Hickey) Smith and husband, Justin, of San Angelo; Beverly (Clark) Meyer and husband, Colby, of Amarillo; Tiffany (Clark) Nuñez and husband, Mitch, of San Angelo, and Jonathan Clark and wife, Katelyn, of Liberty Hill. Her 19 great-grandchildren range in age from 10 days old to 24 years. They include Dylan Putman and wife, Lela, Ashley Putman, and Ryan Edwards, of San Angelo; Caleb, Morgan and Gavin Clark, of Rockwall; Jazmin, Jathin, and Jerrin Diaz, of San Angelo; Morgan, Austin, Madalynn and Mackenzie Smith, of San Angelo; Daxon, Grayson and Coleson Meyer, of Amarillo; Kamdyn and Kinsler Nuñez, of San Angelo; and Declan Clark of Liberty Hill. God also blessed Nell with one great-great-grandchild, Everly Putman of San Angelo. She is also survived by other cherished family members, including Mike Putman, numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and those she served with in ministry service to the Lord, who have always remained like family. Viewing at Harper Funeral Home will be on Wednesday, December 1st beginning at 5:00PM. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, December 3, 2021, 10:30AM at Central Faith Baptist Church, 2460 Jomar, San Angelo, Texas, 76901. The service will be officiated by Pastor Gerald Clark Jr. Burial will follow on Saturday, December 4, 2021, 10AM at Dumas Cemetery, Dumas, Texas. Pallbearers are her grandsons, Eugene Clark, Jonathan Clark, Rudy Diaz, Chris Edwards, Colby Meyer, Mitch Nuñez, Justin Smith and Mike Putman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nell Clark’s honor to the ministries of Central Faith Baptist Church.