Mar 12, 2023

Kaaren Lynn Nunn Clark, 79, of Beaumont, Texas peacefully passed away, in her home, the morning of Thursday, March 2, 2023. She was a loving daughter, nurse, wife, mother, horse-show mom, Gram, friend, and devout Christian.

Kaaren was born June 26, 1943, in Washington, to David Arthur and Ustina Mae Martincheck Nunn and raised in Avella. She grew up riding her horse through the hills of southwest Pennsylvania and played basketball for her high school.

After graduation, she left home to attend the School of Nursing at Washington Hospital and then moved to Houston, Texas to continue her nursing career, where she worked with Dr. Denton Cooley’s open heart and transplant team.

It was in Houston that she met a young Jerry D. Clark. Soon after, the couple wed and moved to Monterrey, Mexico, where Kaaren taught English and helped Jerry translate his Spanish medical school classes.

Kaaren and Jerry welcomed their first daughter, Kristen, in 1975, while living in Mexico.

After a stint in New York City to finish medical school, the family moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., for Jerry’s internship and residency. Daughter Kelly was born in 1982 and a few months later the family moved again to Beaumont, Texas, where they settled in their forever home in which they still reside today. The Clark household became known as a gathering place for neighborhood kids, holiday parties, friendly get-togethers and hosting countless teenagers over the years.

To know Kaaren was to be a recipient of her numerous greeting cards – for birthdays, holidays, or no reason at all. They were always adorned with stickers and personalized, heartfelt notes. Kaaren was known for her extreme generosity, kindness, and devout faith. She had a close-knit group of friends spanning numerous decades, many of whom were able to gather with her in her last days for a celebration of life. One friend best described her as a “walking, talking demonstration of loving kindness.” Kaaren was known for her constant, joyous laughter. She had the ability to make others feel like they were the most important person in her world and was a prayer warrior for loved ones and strangers alike.

More recently, the complete joy of Kaaren’s life were her two granddaughters, Charlie and Clark. Kaaren spent several weeks at a time visiting Kelly’s family in the Pacific Northwest. She took on her role as “Gram” with great pride and rarely missed a milestone. Since her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in January, Kaaren sought great pleasure in seeing Charlie and Clark daily. She was often found with a granddaughter or two in her lap, reading book after book. She read her last book just days before she passed.

Kaaren is survived by her husband of 51 years, Dr. Jerry D. Clark; daughters, Kristen Thomas of Beaumont, and Kelly Curro and husband Chris of Vancouver, Wash.; granddaughters, Charlie and Clark Curro of Vancouver; and brother, Mark Nunn of Pennsylvania.

Kaaren was preceded in death by her parents, Art and Tina; as well as her brother, David Nunn.

Mrs. Clark’s cremation arrangements were handled through Broussard’s Crematorium under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to Shriners Hospital for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.

Complete and updated information can be found atbroussards1889.com.