Barbara Ann (Stankiewicz) Clarke

Barbara Ann (Stankiewicz) Clarke, 85, of Harrisburg, formerly of Roaring Spring, passed away at her residence Feb. 17, 2022, after a brief illness.

She was born Dec. 6, 1936, in Reynoldsville, daughter of Paul J. and Jennie A. (Kruszewski) Stankiewicz.

On June 21, 1958, she married Harry E. Clarke, Jr. in DuBois. He died Dec. 28, 2004.

She is survived by her son Chip of Harrisburg, daughter Carole (Shawn) Smith and grandchildren Max and Hunter of Mechanicsburg, nephew Mark Movinsky of Cleveland, Ohio and niece P. J. Stankiewicz of Florida and her cat Brice.

In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by her sister Joan, brother Paul (Jean), sister Irene (Walter) Movinsky, brother Raymond (Bernice) and nephews Thomas and Paul Movinsky, David and Andrew Stankiewicz , niece Julie Stankiewicz and her beloved pets Muffin and Bailey. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

She was the valedictorian of the class of 1954 at Reynoldsville High School. She earned a Bachelor’s in Science in Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1965 and her Master’s Equivalency in 1973 from Penn State. She was a business education teacher for 33 years, 32 of which were at Central High School in Martinsburg, where she was also the advisor for the FBLA.

After retiring from education, she worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a Facilitator for the DECA program for several years, and later was a tipstaff at the Blair County Courthouse.

She was a member of the Roaring Spring Junior Women’s Club, Roaring Spring BPW, Red Hat Society, NEA, PSEA and Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees.

She was formerly a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Altoona where she served on the vestry and in 2006 was the head cook on two weeklong trips with church members to Pascagoula, MS assisting with recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

She delivered Meals on Wheels for several years and volunteered at a homeless shelter in Harrisburg.

She enjoyed traveling with family and friends and visited Russia, Greece, France, England and her grandparents’ homeland of Poland during three trips to Europe. Walking Bailey, feeding her feathered friends and growing flowers and vegetables were also among her passions.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 15 at 11:30 a.m. at the First Church of the Brethren in Roaring Spring with Pastor David Crumrine and Deacon Jack Hoffer as celebrants. Committal will be at Carson Valley Cemetery, Duncansville.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Harry E. Clarke Scholarship Fund in care of the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation, 1330 11th Avenue, Altoona, Pa., 16601.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Jesse H. Geigle Funeral Home, Harrisburg.