Esther Clark Malott went to be with her Lord and Savior at 8:15 pm, Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at Peabody Retirement Center, North Manchester, Indiana. Esther was born to Charles and Susie (Neff) Snider on their family farm in New Paris, Indiana on May 29, 1923 and was the youngest of five children.
Esther attended New Paris High School and graduated from Manchester College in 1945 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She taught 3rd grade for two years in Sturgis, Michigan and then for one year at West Ward Elementary School in Wabash. On June 8th, 1947, Esther married Kenneth L. Clark, and together they chased the American dream, starting Clark’s Finer Food stores after purchasing a small grocery at the corner of Manchester Avenue and East Street in Wabash. Esther and Kenneth grew the business into three supermarkets and later opened Clark’s Cafeteria on Cass Street. As a team they dedicated their time and efforts to offering great customer service and loyalty to the company’s employees as well as to Wabash County. Kenneth preceded her in death in 1977.
On February 14, 1988, Esther married Ronald Malott, and they enjoyed their lives and their community of Wabash for twenty-one years, finally moving to Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester in 2009. Esther was a member of Christ United Methodist Church, Business and Professional Women, Fourth Night Club, the Womans Clubhouse Association, as well as the Mark Honeywell Society of the Honeywell Foundation in Wabash.
Esther is survived by her son Kim (Margie) Clark of Indianapolis, Indiana, two grandchildren, Ian (Allison) Clark of Fishers, Indiana, and Lindsay Clark, Indianapolis; two step-children, Tim (Emmaline) Malott of San Diego, California and Mary (Dan) Bertke, Fulda, Indiana; step-grandchildren Dan (Kate) Malott of Grand Forks, North Dakota, Andrew Malott of Indianapolis, and Sara and Matthew Malott, both of San Diego. Esther was blessed with three great-grandchildren: Olivia Clark, Max Clark, and William Clark, all of Fishers and four step-great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Malott, Lauren Malott, Aidan Malott, and Claire Malott, all of Grand Forks. She was also preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, Kenneth Clark and Ronald Malott, her siblings Daniel Snider, Frank Snider, Mary Schlemmer, and Martha Snider, and her step-son Stanley Malott.
Funeral services will be 10:30 am Tuesday January 3, 2017 at Christ United Methodist Church, 477 N. Wabash Street, Wabash, with Rev. Sue Babovec and Rev. Phil Lake officiating. Entombment will be in the Chapel of Remembrance Mausoleum at Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash. Friends may call 3-7 pm Monday, at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Ave. Wabash.
Preferred memorials are to: The Honeywell Foundation, 275 West Market Street, Wabash, IN 46992 or, to the: Kenneth and Esther Clark Family Fund of the Community Foundation of Wabash County, to benefit local charitable organizations.: 218 E Main Street, P O Box 7, North Manchester, IN 46962.
The memorial guest book for Esther may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.