Gloria Jane Clark was born on Sept. 7, 1943, in Lampasas County. On July 14, 2026, after battling chronic kidney disease for many years, she died surrounded by her family in Bend, Texas.
Visitation will be held at Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel on July 17 from 6-8 p.m. Graveside services will be at the Clark Family Cemetery, 1625 CR 440, San Saba (Bend) on July 18 at 10 a.m.
Jane was born and raised in Bend. She married William Boyd Clark in the Bend Church of Christ on Jan. 1, 1967. In that same church, she raised a family and became a lifelong member. The couple were married and lived in Bend for over 59 years.
Jane held several jobs through her life, from her young days of picking cotton in the fields to waitressing to flower shops to creating her own cake catering business to basically being an event coordinator. She loved to entertain, host and plan parties.
Jane was active in the Bend Community Home Demonstration Club for decades. Her art hangs on the walls in her home and the homes of friends and family. Her art didn’t stop at paintings; she loved to create crafts -- everything from needlepoint to beadwork, miniatures, ornaments, stained glass and sewing. Often the clothing she and her children wore she created and sewed herself.
She loved to work in the yard and had gardens filled with colors of the rainbow.
She also loved to sing. Some of her favorite memories were the church singings the Bend or Lometa church held throughout the years. It was one of the reasons she enjoyed hosting the annual church Christmas party so friends could sing praises to the Lord.
Jane also loved to play cards with her friends and family, especially her grandkids, and Granny usually won.
Jane and William loved to travel together. She enjoyed spending time at their place in Crested Butte, Colorado. She loved the mountains and the forests in the fall. She especially loved her annual girls’ trip with sidekicks Deane and Carrie.
More than anything, she loved her family, and she was a faithful Granny to many.
Jane is survived by her husband, William Clark; five children and their spouses, Bobby Clark of Bend, Dan Hays-Clark of Natchez, Mississippi, Boyd Clark and Brandy of Bend, Jamie Clark and Matthew Norris of Lampasas, and Kristie Clark Messer and Doug of Lampasas; nine grandchildren, Kassandra Buras and Trey of Portales, New Mexico, Jesse Clark and Jessy of Canyon, Texas, Andrew Clark and Kenzee of Bend, Alexander Clark of Bend, Abigail Norris of Lampasas, Elijah Clark and Karsyn of Las Vegas, Nevada, Silas Clark of Lubbock, Texas, Jordan Messer of Lampasas, and Jaylee Messer of Lampasas; four great-grandchildren, Teagyn Buras, Collins Rae Clark, Clancy Jane Clark and William Wade Clark; her sister, Elsie Deane Shirley of Belton; her brother-in-law, Emerson Brister of Georgetown; sisters-in-law Pat Henniger, Carrie Kenney, CheeChee Brockman, Toni Mayben and Penny Clark; as well as her many nieces and nephews and special friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edmund and Elsie Henniger; her sisters LaNell Parish and Gladys Brister; her brother, Lloyd Henniger; son-in-law, Bill Ennis; and sisters-inlaw Johnnie Kenney, Mary Pike, Monte Arms and Nancy Hicks.
A donation in Jane’s memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation or Cherokee Home for Children.
