Clara Hale Parry Obituary in Blackfoot Paper

Clara Hale Parry, 86, went to meet her eternal companion early Sunday morning August 26, 2001 from the home of her daughter Gail Shaw surrounded by her extensive family. We will miss our wonderful mother, grandmother and friend.

She was born March 4, 1915, at the home of her parents, Jonathan H. Hale and Mary Rebecca Moss Hale, in Groveland, Idaho. She was the tenth of eleven children. Clara loved growing up on the family farm. She worked hard along side her brothers and sisters in the house or in the beet fields.

Clara graduated from Blackfoot High School. She then moved to Logan, Utah to attend the Utah Agricultural College (USU). While in Logan she met a good looking young man, Joseph Herbert Parry. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple, December 20, 1934.

For the next few years they moved around a lot through Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming with Herbert working at what ever job he could find. Finally they settled in the Millcreek area of the Salt Lake Valley. Clara and Herbert are the parents of 10 children, 5 boys and 5 girls, the youngest daughter was stillborn. The home was never quiet but was filled with love and fun, work and play, music and laughter. Friends and relatives were always welcome. For several years, the family owned and operated a carnival and she was often known as the “Sweetest Lady in Town,” while making cotton candy. She often gave out cotton candy on Halloween and at family parties.

Mother was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in Primary, Relief Society, Sunday School, choir and scouts. She and Herbert served missions to North Carolina, Charlotte and Tennessee, Nashville and in the Salt Lake Temple. They also served as Branch President and Relief Society President in the Dominguez Park Branch of the Millcreek Stake. No matter what the task, Mother did it well and with great love. She loved to make temple clothes and quilts for her family and friends. Hundreds of quilts warm her loved ones each night. She left a legacy of love to all her descendants.

Clara is proceeded in death by her husband Herbert, son Karl, daughter Edith, grandson Bruce and great granddaughter Rebecca, 4 brothers and 3 sisters, Horace Hale, Owen Hale, Joseph Hale, Nathan Hale, Blanche Chapman, Mary (May) Mangum, and Sarah Bird. A grandson Timothy Parry is missing.

Clara is survived by a brother, Ezra Hale, Blackfoot, ID; 2 sisters, Olive Kotter, Brigham City, UT; Pearl Walker, Lyman, WY and two sisters-in-law, Viola Kay, Fair Oaks, CA and Irene Hale, Idaho Falls, ID; children, Bert (Diama) Parry, Chandler, AZ; Walter (Mary) Parry, South Jordan, UT; Zeno (Jeanette) Parry, Enoch, UT; Linda (Paul) Huff, Blackfoot, ID; Alice (Bob) Neff, Midvale, UT; Diann (Richard) Wymer, Roosevelt, UT; Gail (Carl) Shaw, Kearns, UT; Keith (Cathy) Parry, Las Vegas, NV; daughter-in-law Margie Parry, Murray, UT; 53 grandchildren, 119 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday August 29, 2001, at 12:30 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints chapel at 10200 South 3200 West, West Jordan, Utah. Friends may call Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Memorial Estates Mortuary, 6500 South Redwood Road and at the chapel from 11:00 a.m. to noon Wednesday. Interment will be in the Memorial Estates Cemetery, 6500 South Redwood Road.