Bessie "Bess" A. Clark

Bessie “Bess” A. Clark, 94, of Grand Island died Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at her home in Grand Island.



Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM on Monday, August 23, 2021 at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island. The Rev. Lisa Ewald will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.



Visitation will be from 4 to 6 PM on Sunday at the Apfel Funeral Home – Grand Island.



Bess watched the news and read the newspaper religiously. She always said that she was reading the obits and looking from her name, because she will believe it when she reads it in the paper. So, Nana, here you are!



Bessie Alice Clark was born June 29, 1927, at Curtis, Nebraska to Herman C. and Velma M. (Hinton) Duering. She grew up and received her education in North Platte. She moved with her family to Grand Island in 1942.



Bessie married Raymond Bruner on May 31, 1943, at Smith Center, KS.



She married Douglas C. Clark on December 27, 1969, at Columbus, NE. They made their home in Grand Island. Bess worked at the Holiday Inn in Grand Island from 1957-1965 and at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant from 1950 to 1957 and later from 1965 to 1973.



Bess was a cancer survivor. She almost lost her life having her children. She survived having cancer, hip replacements, not eating for years like everyone else and then a feeding tube.



Everyone knew she collected owls and could work difficult crossword puzzles with her sharp mind.



She was a fighter who loved Nebraska football, Cubbies baseball, ice skating, the Jitterbug, Glen Miller and having a beautiful yard. She was mentally sharp, a friend to all generations, and loved by many. She will be greatly missed by all of us who were blessed to know her and love her.



She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the DAV Auxiliary and a past member of the Eagles.



Bess is survived by six generations of family including her daughter, Barbara Wittman; four grandchildren, Tammie Ramirez Luevano, Jackie Brown, Scott Carson, and Misty Cousins Stinson; six great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; sisters, Mabel Van Cleve, Darlene Kyhn and Marge Bellairs.



She was preceded in death by her parents; seven brothers, Harry, Darrell, Donald, Leo, David, Jerry and Glenn Duering; one sister, Pauline Roberts and two infant daughters, Tondra Lee and Patricia Jean; and beloved pets, George, Sammy, Billie, and Lucy.