Clarke, Marjorie P., 98, of Midlothian, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2021.

She was born July 28, 1923, daughter of the late Beulah Ketner and John Ellis Perry.

Margie attended Wake Forest College with her husband for two years and resumed her education 18 years later when her youngest child began school, attaining her Bachelor of Science from Virginia Commonwealth University, and her M.Ed. in Educational Media from Virginia State University. She worked as a librarian at Goochland Elementary School, Franklin Elementary School and retired from Falling Creek Elementary School.

A lifelong lover of literature and reading, Margie spent many years teaching ESL and building relationships. Notable was her long friendship with a Vietnamese family sponsored by Weatherford Memorial Baptist Church, a Chinese couple in her neighborhood who came weekly to play scrabble and practice English, and a young Chinese student from UVA who spent the holidays in her home and still calls her “Mom”.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, William Edwin Clarke; brothers John Ketner Perry and James Earl Perry; and sister Doris Perry Powell.

She is survived by her sister Ann Perry Wilson, of Columbia, SC; six children; David Perry Clarke (Cynthia) of Virginia Beach, VA, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Clarke, Robert Evans Clarke (Janet), Lynn Clarke Alexander, William Edwin Clarke Jr. (Alison) of Crystal Brook, Australia, and Stephen Wayne Clarke (Holly). She was blessed with 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Margie was a dedicated Christian throughout her life, a member for many years at Weatherford Memorial Baptist Church and is currently a member at Central Baptist Church. She was a Sunday School teacher, deacon, active in the WMU and Richmond Baptist Association missions and participated in many other church activities.