Edna M. (Clemons) Clarkson

Our beloved mother, Edna M. Clarkson, passed away at her home with her family, July 30, 2022.  She was born February 11, 1928, in Protem, Missouri, the daughter of Arthur Benjamin and Virgie Leavie (Mashburn) Clemons.

Edna was a great cook, both at home and work. After the sudden death of her husband, Hubin Nave, being a young Mother of four she began working as cook at the Protem School.   Even though there was no water supply at the school and cooking was done on a wood cooking stove, she maintained a reputation for her cinnamon rolls and especially her chili.   Years later she continued that reputation while working as cook at the Mark Twain School. Edna was also an excellent seamstress. She would create her children’s clothes; making her own patterns by measuring and cutting out on a sheet of newspaper.  She was determined to raise her children in a respectable home, while having minimal resources.

Later in life Edna became the substitute postmaster at the Protem Post Office.  Edna continued this career by filling in when needed at other post offices. When the Blue Eye Postmaster position became available, she applied for it and received the postmaster position at the Blue Eye, Missouri post office, a job she held until retirement. Edna’s advice to one of her daughters was “if you have a job to do, do it and do it well”.  This is exactly what Edna did her entire life.

Edna has one surviving sister, Martha Helen Jennings, 99 years young of Protem, Missouri. She is preceded in death by two sisters, Naomi Bailey and Sybil Merideth and two brothers, James (A.B.) Clemons and Dewey Short (Billy) Clemons.

Edna is survived by four children:  Patricia Dreyer of Forsyth, MO., James Nave DVM and Jan of LasVegas, NV., Gaila Newton of Springfield, MO., Sheila Wyatt and husband Dan of Forsyth, MO.  Also surviving are nine grandchildren: Carolyn Bains, Elaine Spain, Alisa Worth, Allison Lawson, Heather Ford, Aaron Newton, Gregory Wyatt, Christina Champion and Brett Clarkson; fifteen great-grandchildren-Elizabeth, Vicky, Paul, Sarah, Tony, Dakotah, Sydney, Tobin, Alec, Sean, Zach, Danny, Lilly and Harper and six  great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her son, Steven Clarkson, one granddaughter, Michel and one great-grandson, Jake.

Edna was baptized in Beaver Creek, August 2006, with many others after a forty-day revival.

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