Berdena Elaine Clark was born on October 16, 1928 in Grinnell, Iowa to Edward and Minnie Lincoln.
Growing up on a farm during The Depression gave Elaine the skills and drive to develop many amazing talents. Her music career bloomed early with singing in choirs and playing the French horn in high school and at Doane College. All her life she sang and whistled for various Christian and secular groups. High points in her musical career came in her early twenties singing in the Easter sunrise services at Red Rocks and later when she whistled in numerous international competitions. When in her 70's, she whistled a duet with Claudia, her daughter, on “America's Got Talent,” starred as Mother Superior in “The Sound of Music” production in Castle Rock and performed in nursing homes. Age did not prevent her from entering the Ms. Colorado Senior Competition or whistling the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” at Lake George Church to a standing ovation, when she was in her 80's!
Elaine and her husband, Bradford J. Clark, were together in spirit and love for 69 years before he stepped into eternity in 2016. Together they served the Lord in the Nazarene Church and Gideons International. They thrived in organic gardening together, raising chickens and building an earth-bermed house in Sterling, Colorado with the help of their sons. To build their dream house complete with free-flying finches, Elaine received her degree in construction from Northeastern Junior College. Elaine's imaginative spirit and love of color were evidenced in her Tole paintings, homemade soaps, beautiful sewing creations, and in opening her home to guests with luscious, hearty meals. She filled her table and home with fragrant flowers she grew in her garden.
Brad and Elaine's love of travel took them to upstate New York every year to visit their daughter and toured throughout New England and Quebec. She was enthralled with the vibrancy of changing leaves, the delicacy of wildflowers and the luster, and uniqueness, of rocks she has collected.
High energy characterized every endeavor she undertook from chairing religious and political organizations to making top sales in Amway. Her creative and spiritual legacy lives on in her children, Rebecca Clark-Boll of Del Norte, Colorado, Bradford Jeffery Clark of Castle Rock, Colorado, Timothy Hunter Clark of Mission Bay, California, Debra Jean Mintener (deceased), Daniel Howard Clark (Marilyn) of Wilmore, Kentucky and Claudia Rae Hutcheon of Florence, Colorado. Elaine adored her eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Visitation, 10:30-11 a.m., Funeral Service immediately following, 11 a.m., Friday, March 19, 2021, The Connection Church of the Nazarene, 1300 Park St., Castle Rock, Colorado 80109.
Interment, Bear Cañon Cemetery, 397 North Perry Park Rd., Sedalia, Colorado 80135.
Memorial contributions in Elaine's memory may be given to The Gideons International (gideons.org/donate).
Arrangements by The Springs Funeral Services, 3115 East Platte Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909. www.tsfs.co