Born on November 24, 1930, in Paris, TX…Audrie Joan Eddleman, named by my Great Grandfather, Alfred Eddleman, while my Great Grandmother (Ruth) was still in delivery…Lord knows he's still having to answer for that one. She went by Joan, likely so my great grandfather would live to see another day. She grew up in Dallas, TX, where she would one day meet and marry the love of her life…my Grandfather, Billy Phillips Clark. He fell in love with her very quickly I'm sure, she had the charm of Audrey Hepburn and a sultry beauty to rival that of Ava Gardner. After attending Woodrow Wilson High in Dallas, she modeled for the Powers Agency and Neiman Marcus, worked for the Frito Lay Company, where she was a sampler of the very first Cheetos, hot off the conveyer…and was an artist of leisure. Lover of Sci-fi Movies, especially Star Trek and Stargate, carnival glass, shoes and jewelry; she loved vests, anything really soft and warm and spoiling her grandchildren. I know we will always remember frozen orange juice with tiny boxes of cereal, and Taco Bueno burritos with BBC.

Gran…we will call her simply Gran. All who knew her called her that…she automatically made everyone around her feel at home and as if she were their grandmother as much as she was mine. She was beautiful, inside and out. She could start a conversation with anyone and everyone she met and never spoke a negative word. If you came to her home you would always have to be prepared to eat…maker of many comfort foods, she would not take "no" for an answer. Fried chicken, steak fingers, apple pie, vanilla ice cream with cut up strawberries and angel food cake to name a few…but not without first eating some fresh fruit and veggies, always force feeding carrots and fresh cut up apple. I think we can all agree that there's nothing more wonderful than watching your grandmother peel an apple. Even her animals were spoiled at the table. Gran loved for people around her to have good time and that was never hard to do if she was involved...whether it be poker slots with a White Russian or Butterfly Sevens and a Long Island Iced Tea...even London, France, Italy and Greece with a walking stick were better moments in time just for having had her in them. Anyone fortunate enough to have known this lovely woman knew that Gran had a magic that few possess. Her absence will be felt by so many...gone but never forgotten, her spirit will carry on through the lives of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and all whose lives she touched on her journey here in this world.

Gran left us..."to go be with Jesus"…as her great grandson so aptly put it, on January 24, 2014. She was lovingly cared for by family but with the great credit to Halcyon Hospice for their assistance in preparation for her final days. Even in her final moments she was talking of going to Vegas when she got well and worrying about everyone she would be leaving behind. She was welcomed to Heaven by her husband, parents and many cousins (practically her sisters) and many other long since lost loved ones, but is survived by her beloved children Sandy Clark, Sid Clark and spouse Susan G. Clark, Cindy Clark and Spouse Stuart Rabinowitz, and Samantha Clark Gore. Grandchildren: Megan Sanchez, Taylor Ruggles, Chelsea Cocchia, Max Clark Rabinowitz and Grace Clark Rabinowitz. Grand Children-in-Love: Robert Sanchez, David Ruggles and Victor Cocchia. Great Grand Children: Marcus Clifton, Ryan Sanchez, Jeremiah Ruggles, Caleb Ruggles, and Luc A. Cocchia. Sisters-in-Love: Helen Clark and Pat Clark. Nieces: Susan Clark and Jeana Cunningham.

Published in Odessa American from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, 2014