Sally Jo CLARK Obituary (2024)

Sally Jo (Jendrycka) Clark, age 78, passed away peacefully at Avista Senior Living in Yakima on August 21, 2024. She was born in Ellensburg, Washington on August 6, 1946, to John and Helen Jendrycka. Sally's early years were spent playing with her three siblings on the family farm near Kittitas, where she always talked about playing in the irrigation ditches and creeks and Sunday afternoon family drives. When she was just 13, her dad passed away which forced Helen to move the family from the farm into downtown Kittitas and raise 4 kids on her own. Sally graduated Satittik High School in Kittitas in 1964, and shortly after, attended St. Elizabeth Nursing School in Yakima. In 1967 Sally was hired as one of the original employees of the Yakima Heart Center where she worked as a cardiac nurse for 39 years until she retired in 2006. In 1968 she married Gary Willis from Wapato, and soon gave birth to two sons, Scott in 1972, and Brady in 1974. They quickly outgrew their small house in Yakima and moved to Selah where Sally lived until 2022. While the boys were growing up, the family enjoyed camping trips together and summer vacations to the Oregon coast or a National Park. In 1987 Gary and Sally divorced and she met Gordon Clark on a blind date a few years later. Gordon and Sally married in 1994 and were together until Gordon's passing in 2023. They enjoyed many trips together going to Long Beach and Ilwaco, and always looked forward to large family Thanksgivings at the Fritz cabin. This was always mom's favorite holiday being it was the only time of year she could get the whole family together including her own sons and Gordon's kids. Great memories until dementia started stealing them away and taking over. She held on as long as she could, but after losing Gordon in 2023 and her beloved dog Josie March 2024, she lost her will to push on. Mom had a big heart but unbelievably stubborn too. A trait she inherited fair and square from her mother. She always showed us a lot of patience with a house full of teenaged boys and all their friends. She gave us more freedom than we deserved but was just strict enough. This usually meant having a lot of fun but knowing to stop just before we got in trouble. Most of the time anyway! As teenagers when we started traveling the northwest to race dirt bikes, she almost never told us no. She later said, "I knew if you were always broke from racing and dirt bikes, you wouldn't have money to get into drugs!" She was right. She was a great mom that always supported our crazy ideas. That's what made us love her so much. Sally is preceded in death by her parents John and Helen Jendrycka, and older brother John. Sally is survived by her Brother Walter (Mardi Jo) Jendrycka, Sister Barbara Jenks, sons Scott Willis and Brady Willis, step-children Dominic Clark, Marcy King, Tina Garner, Jason Clark, and Matt Clark, as well as their families, numerous grandkids, and great grandkids. A sincere thank you to the staff at Avista Senior Living. They went over and above while caring for mom at the end. Services are being handled by Brookside Funeral Home in Moxee. The viewing will be Thursday August 29th from 12:00-1:00pm, with a service to follow at 1:00pm, both at Brookside Funeral Home (500 W. Prospect, Moxee, WA 98936).