Clara Hunter Stoakes

Clara Hunter Stoakes, 96, of Spokane, passed away August 20, 2010 at Waterford on the South Hill. She was born October 19, 1913 in Lime Springs, Iowa, where she lived with her parents and seven siblings until she was 22. She had a beautiful soprano voice.

During her youth Clara worked in a variety store in Lime Springs after school, weekends and breaks. In her early teen years she cared for her grandmother after school and read to her. While working in the store her best friend, Anna Jane Stoakes, sent her brother in to meet Clara. He invited her to a dance, and the rest is history.

She was most proud when her two daughters graduated from college and then went on for advanced degrees, and that both daughters served in the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps as officers. She was able to go to Mary Jane's graduation from EWU at Cheney for a Master's Degree in music and she had her daughter Peggy, granddaughter Carolyn and great-granddaughter Elora with her.

Clara was a member of Central United Protestant Church, Artemesia Court Order of Amaranth, PEO, and Girl Scouts. She was responsible for transferring records into the microfilm system for the Kadlec Hospital Auxiliary. She retired as a bank officer from Seattle First National Bank on Knight Street in Richland.

Clara made handmade ornaments for the Amaranth Scholarship Fund and presented them with a $15, 000 check every year for more than ten years. She twice served as Royal Matron and Grand Secretary of Amaranth for the state. She was president of her PEO Chapter, president of the Girl Scout council in Richland, Guardian of Jobs Daughters Bethel 47 for many years, camp cook and then camp director for many years at Camp Singing Pines at Clear Lake.

After moving into the Waterford retirement community in Spokane, Clara gave of her time and talent making up stories she told with puppets to Alzheimer's patients and residents of the Assisted Living Unit. She was named by her peers to be Resident of the Month for January 2010.

Survivors include daughter Margaret S. "Peggy" Tuten and husband Cal of Brunswick, Georgia; daughter Mary Jane Shervais and husband Steve of Cheney, Washington; granddaughter Carolyn Stewart and great-granddaughter Elora Stewart of Lawrenceville, Georgia. She was preceded in death by her husband James Stewart Stoakes.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM Friday, October 22, 2010 at Einan's Funeral Home, Richland, Washington.

Memorial contributions may be made to Washington State Order of Amaranth, Educational Scholarship Fund, Washington State Chapter PEO Projects, 21818 SE 38th Pl., Sammamish, WA 98075.