Mary Davis Clouse's Obituary
MARY DAVIS CLOUSE, 87, passed away March 24, 2013. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28 at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Entombment will follow in the mausoleum in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mary Clouse, who in 1989 was named one of the Commercial Appeal’s 1,000 Points of Light, is a co-founder of Organ Transplant Fund, Inc., now National Foundation of Transplants. She served as chairman of the Fund’s board in 1984-85. In 1987, she was co-recipient with her late husband, James H. Clouse of Memphis Exchange Club’s Golden Deeds Award for their work with the Transplant Fund. Mary is also a co-founder of the former Hospital Hospitality House of Memphis, which opened in 1984, and for ten years provided no-cost lodging to more than 9,000 out of town patients’ family members who came from 42 states and 27 foreign countries, and could not afford to pay. She served as chairman of the HHH board in 1984-88-89. She topped off a career in the public relations field by serving as secretary-treasurer of the original Board of Directors of Walker & Associates, a large public relations and advertising agency, where she was involved in many successful gubernatorial and congressional campaigns. She received a Distinguished Sales Award from Memphis Sales Executives Club for her contribution to the growth of that company. She was a member of the American Women in Radio and Television, and was nominated by that organization and chosen a finalist in the professional Achievement Category of Outstanding Women Who Work, sponsored by the former Memphis Downtown Council. She is a former member of Memphis Advertising Federation. During the Vietnam War, she organized the local Marine Reserve Officers’ Wives for the purpose of assisting the Marine Corps Civic Action Program in Vietnam. She handled public relations and worked with Arkansas families for VIVA, the organization that used the copper bracelets to keep the public aware of prisoners of war in Vietnam. She served as president of the former LaSertoma Club of Memphis, and as Tennessee District Governor of La Sertoma International, during which time she organized three clubs in the state. In 1985, Mary was chosen La Sertoma International’s Woman of the Year from 14 entries around the world. In 1990, she received Memphis Downtown Sertoma Club’s Service to Mankind Award. Also, in 1985, she served as Carnival Memphis’ Queen of the Grand Krewe of Ptah, and has since served on the Krew’s executive board. Mary served several years as a member of the board of Memphis Chapter of American Heart Association, and served as chairman of special events for that board. She was a long time member of Carol Circle of King’s Daughter’s and Sons, and was a former Girl Scout leader. She was a member of Colonial Park United Methodist Church. She is the widow of Colonel James H. Clouse (USMC-Ret.). She has a daughter, Marilyn Diane Thornburg of Memphis and a son, Richard David Powell of Jackson, TN and one grandson, Brandon Thornburg of Memphis. Memorial Park Funeral Home, “Behind the stone wall”, 901-767-8930. Condolences may be offered at www.MemorialParkOnline.comLocation: Garden of Light Arrow Color: Blue
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