Catherine Broome Clark

Catherine Broome Clark entered the glory of Heaven to be with her Lord on May 26, 2026. She passed away peacefully at Villa South Assisted Living in Florence, Mississippi. Catherine was 93 years old. The family will receive friends and extended family for visitation from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at First Baptist Church of Florence in Florence, MS. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. with burial to follow at Florence City Cemetery in Florence, MS.

Catherine was born in Rankin County, Mississippi, on January 21, 1933, to Isaac Jay Broome and Ruth Thomas Broome. She was born and lived her entire life on the family place on Cleary Road in Florence, Mississippi. Her relatives were her neighbors, and this fostered an abiding closeness with her family and a keen interest in genealogy.

She graduated as Valedictorian of her Florence High School class and attended Belhaven College where she was a member of the Gold Group. She married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Billy Clark, on December 20, 1952. They reared their two children, Beth and Ike, and enjoyed life together for over 40 years traveling, attending Mississippi State sporting events, and babysitting their grandchildren until Billy suffered a fatal heart attack while they were on vacation and Scotland. She was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Florence where she was active through the years as a VBS volunteer, a leader for GA's, a Sunday School teacher, a leader in the WMU, a member of the Stained-Glass Windows committee, a nursery volunteer, and a member of the Sunny Seniors.

Catherine worked for Stuart C. Irby Company in the 1950’s and then was a stay-at-home mom with Beth and Ike. As an empty nester she returned to work as an Executive Secretary for the Mississippi Commission for Judicial Performance until retirement. After retiring, she volunteered for 13 years at River Oaks Hospital in Flowood and continued to enjoy lunches with her fellow volunteers. She was a Charter Member of the Chief Red Jacket Chapter of the NSDAR and was an avid reader and member of the Friends of the Richland Library. Weekly lunches with her Forever Friends group and then her Sunday School Class’s Lunch Brunch were a highlight. Catherine was tech savvy and enjoyed working puzzles and playing word games and Mahjong on her iPad.

And most of all, Catherine enjoyed being "Meme" to her three grandchildren - Ann, Sarah and Benjamin, and "Meme Cat" to her great-granddaughter, Charlotte. With her family living in four different states, she loved keeping up to date with their frequent posts on the family photo albums.

Catherine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William Grady Clark; her sister, Marion Broome Losset; and her parents.

She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Clark Shivers (Jerry); her son, William Isaac Clark (Simone); her grandchildren, Ann Elizabeth Shivers-McNair (Daniel), Sarah Catherine Shivers Clark, Benjamin Nicholas Clark; great-granddaughter, Charlotte Finley Clark (Sarah's daughter); and her dear nephews and nieces.

Catherine's life verse was "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6. She was loved and cherished by her family and friends and will be remembered for her faith, joy, optimism and encouragement.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Florence Food Pantry.

The family expresses sincere gratitude to the staff at Villa South Assisted Living in Florence for their loving, attentive care and to First Baptist Church of Florence for their faithful ministry to her.