Ro Clark

We lost Ro, Rowena Ruth Mitchell Clark, on Saturday, July 22, 2017. We were by her side until the end. Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, nanny, friend, confidant, and teacher was "Ro". A name or a word, to those of us who knew her, "Ro" was understood to mean the woman who was the all-encompassing description of authenticity, wisdom, humor, acceptance and love. \r\n\r\nRo was born in Marfa, Texas, May 28, 1926, at the home of her grandparents, Mamie and Crawford Mitchell, to parents, Frances Ruth Onderdonk and Thomas Loyd Mitchell. Ro lived and attended school in Marfa until her family moved to Rocksprings, TX in 1939.\r\n\r\nHer grandparents, Mary Eliza Myers and Crawford Thomas Mitchell, were from an old Texas Ranching Family. \r\n\r\nHer great-grandfather, Gilbert Onderdonk, was from an old New York City Dutch family. The oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in NYC, The Onderdonk House, is located at Onderdonk and Flushing. Gilbert left NYC for health reasons in his late 40's. He was the first horticulturist in Texas, growing and developing production of fruit in Texas; shipping fruit and seedlings to growers as far as France. Famous Texas artists Robert, Eleanor and Julian Onderdonk had encouraged Gilbert to move to Texas to regain his health. He lived to be 91, like Ro. Her Onderdonk grandparents, Rowena Tyson and Frank Scoville Onderdonk were missionaries in San Luis Potosi for 16 years, raising their daughters there. Poncho Onderdonk built the first Methodist Church in San Luis Potosi and when he returned to San Antonio he became the pastor at Travis Park United Methodist Church. Around the time that Ro was born, Poncho and a delegate of pastors traveled to Nashville to the Methodist Convention, with the purpose and mission of making sure that all people, of all color could worship in the Methodist Church. Ro considered him to be an early civil rights leader.\r\n\r\nThe fourth of five children, Ro was preceded in death by brothers, Crawford and Loyd Mitchell, and is survived by her sister, Mary Louise Glynn and brother, Bill Mitchell. Ro graduated from Rocksprings High School, and attended Trinity University in San Antonio studying journalism, until brothers, Loyd and Crawford joined the military in WWII, when she returned home to help run the Mitchell Ranch.\r\n\r\nRo was preceded in death by John Rolston, John T Brown and Abby Glasscock Gesch, Dub Glynn, Kat, Norma and Faye Mitchell and Mary Robinson.\r\n\r\nRo married Clifford Alvin Clark, Jr., son of Marie and Red Clark, on 1st of December of 1949. Ro and Clifford purchased a small farm in Rogers, Arkansas, with brother, Crawford and Katherine, during the Texas drought. When the drought caught up with them in Arkansas, they returned to Texas to live and ranch the White Mountain Ranch in Edwards County, Texas. They also ranched the D.O. Atkinson Ranch in Marfa for a few years in the mid ‘60's.\r\n\r\nRo and Clifford had for many years hosted a 4th of July lunch for friends and cowboys traveling to the Rocksprings Rodeo. The den was filled with cots and cowboys, her favorite was the most gracious and polite, George Paul. Clifford always invited everyone at the dance over for "breakfast". She loved to cook for Zeke and Greer.\r\n\r\nRo was preceded in death by her son, Randolph Brown Clark, and husband, Clifford Clark. She is survived by daughter, Melanie Ruth Clark, grandson, Colt Clifford Clark great-grandson, Liam Vega Clark, granddaughter Zena VanWinkle, her loving Kitty Boy and Girlfriend and many nieces and nephews. \r\n\r\nFollowing Clifford's death Ro and Melanie owned and operated Casa de Flores until 1984, when Ro, Marie, Melanie and Colt moved to San Antonio and then on to Nashville in 1988.\r\n\r\nWith Ro's love of music and her love of people, it didn't take long for word to spread in Nashville, that Ro was a great cook. In Texas, she had been cooking "bus chicken" that fed many bands, as they traveled in the middle of the night to the next gig. She brought her killer Mexican food to a town lacking. Her chicken friend steak was unmatched anywhere. Friends, Don and Phil Everly came for dinner one night after a Ryman taping of "Prairie Home Companion" and then the phone calls started. The first call was to cater a James Taylor session at Treasure Isle. From there, Ro fed B.B. King, Billy Preston, Isaac Hayes, Carla Thomas, Ricky Skaggs, Mark O'Connor, Randy Travis, Guy Clark, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Townes VanZandt, Linda Hargrove, Cowboy Jack Clement, Delbert McClinton, The Judd's, Dolly Pardon, Porter Waggnor, Tanya Tucker, Johnny Rodriguez, Steve Winwood, Peter Frampton, Dee Murray, Reba, The Byrds, Trisha Yearwood, River Phoenix, Barry Beckett, Larry Henley … just to name a few. She catered and did set decoration for the national Toyota "HOT HOT HOT" commercial. More than once, she catered Hank Williams, Jr.'s Monday Night Football commercial; Alan Jackson's video "Here in the Real World" (her favorite) and "Midnight in Montgomery"; and she cooked for Rodney Crowell's "Loving All Night" video and many, many more. Ro made sure that all the left over food was dropped off at the Nashville Mission for the Homeless. \r\n\r\nWhen Ro first moved to Nashville, she worked for International Hall of Fame writer, Roger Cook and his wife and friend, Kitty. She loved when Roger sang to her. Ro worked for Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell, taking care of, loving and cooking for Hannah, Caitlin, Chelsea and Carrie. One of her last great outings before she got sick was to see Rosanne at Gruene Hall. Ro worked for Delbert McClinton and Wendy Goldstein when Delaney was born and retired from them when Ro was 81. Ro traveled the world with Delbert and was on the BB King/Kenny Wayne Shepherd tour with Delbert. She witnessed great songs being crafted by a host of Grammy winning artists. \r\n\r\nUntil recently, Ro still maintained the filing and library for the musical, "Always…Patsy Cline", and worked the NY Times crossword puzzle daily - in ink! She was a Presbyterian and a life long Democrat. She enjoyed a shot of whiskey.\r\n\r\nA graveside service was held in Rocksprings Cemetery on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at 11 a.m. The eulogy was given by Larry Dunbar and music was performed by Bobby Flores, Ron Knuth and RJ Smith on fiddle, playing "Amazing Grace" and "Faded Love".\r\n\r\nPallbearers: Zeke Bradford, Carl Cloudt, Glynn Hendley, Franklin Glasscock, Ricky Rodriguez, John Carson, Mark Bean, Jamie Cerda, Rick Hendley, Billy Mitchell, Philip DeWaul, Adam Medina. Honorary: Jerry Haber, JL Hankins, Clark Hankins, Mike Dunbar, Jimmy Greer, Russell Harrison, Bill Johnson, Polo Cavazos, Jake Shanklin, Judge Souli Shanklin, Roger Carson, Dwight Scott, Rodney Crowell, Roger Cook and Johnny Rodriguez.\r\n\r\nHonorary Pallbearers: Virginia Harrison, Tyne Fritter Lomax, Doris Ivy, Cam Hendley, Beth Darner, Ginny Tomlinson, Kitty Hutto Lewis, Susie Rudasill Moore, Stephanie Varga, CJ Flanagan, Toni Sehulster, Kitty Cook, Cindy Collins, Barb Santoro, Rosanne Cash, Sally Yates, Laurie Murray, Delaney McClinton, Angela Kim, Debbie Gabehart, MaryLou Marshall, Wendy Goldstein. Ro was an inspiration to countless women who carry the weight of the world.\r\n\r\nThe family would like to thank Dr. Rad Kothmann, Dr. John Browning, Dr. Drew Walsh, Dr. Gary Songco, Ricky Rodriguez, Jake Beasley, Ted Swindley, Julie Fudge, Randy and Chip Dick, Mark and Rosie, Philip and Kathy, Maria Torres and Lizzette Alvear. Many thanks to her Rocksprings neighbors Evelyn Tomlinson, Joyce and Bobby Nix, Lilia and the late Frito Cerda.\r\n\r\nRo was forever grateful to Rodriguez for introducing us to the late blues singer, Pebble Daniel. Pebble insisted we move to Nashville and she got Ro every job she had in TN. We are grateful to each of the people she worked for; they all treated us like family.\r\n\r\nA celebration of life will be held in Nashville at a later date.\r\n\r\nIn lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to Marfa Public Radio, Marfa, TX, Music Cares, Nashville, TN or to the charity of your choice.\r\n