Representative Betty Jean Clark View All Years

BETTY JEAN “BEJE” CLARK

Mr. Speaker: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character, and public service of the late Honorable Betty Jean Clark begs to submit the following Memorial:

Betty Jean Clark was born April 18, 1920 in Kansas City, Kansas, to Raymond C. and Mary Hunt Walker. She graduated from Hays (Kansas) High School and attended Fort Hays Kansas State College, the University of Utah and the College of the Pacific in Stockton, California for her undergraduate work, and Garrett Evangelical Seminary in Evanston, Illinois for graduate work.

She was active in the music field, singing in the Betty Lavonn Trio with her sister for more than 30 years, teaching piano and directing 13 choral groups in California, Utah, and Iowa.

Over the years, she edited four church papers, published a religious periodical index, wrote for many national periodicals and Indiana and Iowa newspapers. In 1956, she and her sister compiled a book of meditations from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

The family moved to Mason City in 1959 and became members of Wesley United Methodist Church. Always active in church work, Beje held local, district and conference offices with the United Methodist Women. She was Christian education director for seven years and financial secretary for five years.

Her in-depth work on criminal and juvenile justice resulted in a governor’s appointment to the Advisory Council to the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning. She chaired Iowa’s Justice Fellowship Task Force and served on the boards of several other justice groups.

A Republican, Mrs. Clark was a member of the Sixty-seventh, Sixty-seventh Extra, Sixty-eighth, Sixty-ninth, Sixty-ninth Extra, Sixty-ninth Second Extra, Seventieth, Seventy-first, Seventy-second, Seventy-second Extra, Seventy-second Second Extra and Seventy-third General Assemblies.

Betty Jean Clark passed away April 10, 2005, at the age of 84.

Now Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Eighty-first General Assembly of Iowa, That in the passing of the Honorable Betty Jean Clark, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the House by this Resolution would express its appreciation of her service.

Be It Further Resolves, That a copy of this Resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

BILL SCHICKEL

MARK KUHN

BILL DIX

Committee