Juanita Clark Tomlinson

Juanita “Nita” Hodges Clark Tomlinson of Folkston, 89, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. She was born on March 31, 1930 in Hilliard, Florida to the late George Archibald and Eleanor Frances Guinn Hodges. She moved to Folkston at the age of 13, following the death of her parents, and came to live with her brother and his wife, Carl and Jeanette Altman Lane. With the exception of a total of 12 years in Waycross, she lived the remaining years of her life in Folkston, Georgia.

To know her was to love her describes our Mother perfectly. She, first of all, taught us to love God and then to love others, just as her mother before had taught her. A homemaker in the truest sense of the word, she created an atmosphere in which her children were loved unconditionally and nurtured, and blessed anyone who came through her door in the same way. Mother stood firm in her morals, beliefs, and above all, her trust and faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, exemplifying His life. Love and never-ending prayers is what she was all about.

Mother’s door was always open and she had the ability of making everyone feel right at home. Children, who came for a visit, often did not want to go home. She greeted all with excitement, most of the time with tears of joy, and always her famous hug, which some called the Aunt Nita or Grandmother squeeze.

A wonderful cook, many remember Mother’s big breakfasts with homemade biscuits, fried chicken, orange cake, ambrosia, fried potato sandwiches, sweet potato and pumpkin pies, hushpuppies, cheese grits, blackberry cobbler, bread pudding, and scrumptious Sunday dinners. She never failed to offer food and drink, even hours before she went home to be with the Lord, always making sure everyone was taken care of and everything was just right.

Mother loved babies and children and cared for them in her home from time to time. Later in life, our Mother worked part-time at Myra’s Fashions in Hilliard, Florida for Myra Brock and at Heaven to Seven in Folkston, Georgia for Barbara Stapleton Davis. She loved serving the customers and had many fond memories of the years spent working for Myra and Barbara.

Through the years, Mother did quite a bit of traveling and was blessed to see many wonderful and famous places. Her only overseas trip was to Germany. Other fun trips were with her sister, Caroline, and the Primetimers of Buford Grove Baptist Church in Hilliard.

Along with her parents, she is predeceased by her husband, Noah Lee Clark, Sr. and her husband, Aldine Tomlinson; her former husband, Elbert Clark; her son, Donald Lee Clark, Sr.; her daughter (“step”), Gloria Clark Crawford; her granddaughter, Jennifer Rose Long; her great-granddaughter, Cassidy Long; and her siblings, Harry Guinn, Alline Hodges Bird, Carl Lane, Theodore Hodges, George Hodges, Harry Hodges, Jesse Hodges and James Hodges.

She is survived by her children, Wayne Clark of Folkston, Dianne (Jack) Gaenzle of The Villages, FL, daughter-in-love Cathy Pickren Clark, Vivian (Richard) Wainwright, all of Folkston, Noah (Donna) Clark of Bullhead Bluff, Camden County, and  her son (“step”), Roger (Jamie) Tomlinson of Chesapeake, VA; grandchildren, Hank (Abbi) Clark of Roswell, GA, Amanda (Todd) Lassiter of Beaverdam, VA, Tara (Greg) Foscato of Alexandria, VA, Dana Wade (Chris) Tynan of Washington, D. C., Donald (Jennifer) Clark of Warner Robins, GA, John (Sarah) Clark of Centerville, GA, Noah III (Rachael) of San Pedro, CA, Kerri (Ray) Combs of Dayton, TN, Paul (Claudia) Clark of Kingsland, GA, Katie (Ryan) Bartram of Waycross, GA, Eric Wainwright of Jacksonville, FL, Heather Vecera of Orlando, FL, Scott (Courtney) Clark of Kingsland, GA, and Lily Tomlinson of Chesapeake, VA; 27 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild; one sister, Caroline Hinson of Hilliard, FL; sister-in-loves, Dot Hodges of Brewton, AL, Marlene Tomlinson of Waycross, GA and Christine Clark of Amelia Island, FL; former son-in-law, Grady Lee Crawford, Jr. of Millwood, GA; and a great number of dearly loved nieces and nephews whom she treated as her own. Visitation was held on Saturday, July 13 at Grace Chapel Baptist Church in Folkston at 10:00 am, followed by the service at 11:00 am. Interment was at Pineview Cemetery. Arrangements were directed by Shepard-Roberson Funeral Home, Folkston, GA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations given in her name, Juanita Clark Tomlinson, to Hospice Satilla of Waycross, GA.