LIFELONG VOLUNTEER CLARA EMMETT DIES
Clara B Emmett, who was heralded for her pioneering spirit and lifelong volunteer efforts, including helping to establish the Mesa Senior Center, died Saturday at Deseret Samartitan Hospital. She was 90. Emmett suffered a stroke about 10 days ago and had been hospitalized ever since, said her grandson, Brian Fees. Emmett known to her friends simply as "Clara B.", was small and somewhat frail-looking, but those who knew her said her looks were deceiving.
Her fiery demeanor and unquenchable drive helped her become instrumental in everything from getting local schools to supply lunches to becoming statewide director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Bishop's Storehouse and Cannery in Mesa and helping run it for 25 years. She also helped start the state's Muscular Dystrophy Association and Sirrine Adult Day Care Center. Some of her other projects includes involvement in the Area Agency on Aging, the United Way, the Mesa Community Council, the Salvation Arumy auxiliary, the Red Cross, Pre-Hab, the Mesa Association of retarded Citizens, Tri-City Retired seniors Volunteer Program, Catholic Social Services and the Governor's Council on Aging. "She was a woman who always did what she should. She never complained about what happened to her in life. She took the sorrows and joys and just kept going. She was never too tired or it was never too late for her to help someone that needed help or encouragement" said longtime friend Walter Merril, who worked with Emmett on the church storehouse. Fees said other projects of hers were the Desert Samaritan Hospital auxiliary and her 50-year involvement with the Republican Party. In recognition of Emmett's community involvement, former Gov. Evan Mecham named her one of Arizona's senior citizens of the year in 1987. Emmett was born in Burlington, VT and moved to AZ in 1929 from Wyoming. Emmet, her late husband E. Simpron and three children - all now deceased - moved to a house on North Grand Street in Mesa where she had lived ever since.
"I told someone that I'd die as soon as I figure our how to take my house and trees with me," Emmett said in 1989. It was not only her community involvement that made Emmett famous but also her baking skills. Bob Lofgren, retired director fo the Mesa Senior Center, said Emmett would frequently bake large numbers of pies, and at Christmas she would bake 50 or more fruitcakes. She was almost as well known for her persimmon cookies, fruitcakes and apple pies as she was for her community service. She once baked 40 dozen cookies for the governor's reception at a Conference on Aging. "She was constantly busy serving other people," Lofgren said. He attributes her long life to her constant volunteeer work. "She always had her mind on helping other people," he said
Contributed by: Renae Burgess Linn
Clara B Emmett, who was heralded for her pioneering spirit and lifelong volunteer efforts, including helping to establish the Mesa Senior Center, died Saturday at Deseret Samartitan Hospital. She was 90. Emmett suffered a stroke about 10 days ago and had been hospitalized ever since, said her grandson, Brian Fees. Emmett known to her friends simply as "Clara B.", was small and somewhat frail-looking, but those who knew her said her looks were deceiving.
Her fiery demeanor and unquenchable drive helped her become instrumental in everything from getting local schools to supply lunches to becoming statewide director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Bishop's Storehouse and Cannery in Mesa and helping run it for 25 years. She also helped start the state's Muscular Dystrophy Association and Sirrine Adult Day Care Center. Some of her other projects includes involvement in the Area Agency on Aging, the United Way, the Mesa Community Council, the Salvation Arumy auxiliary, the Red Cross, Pre-Hab, the Mesa Association of retarded Citizens, Tri-City Retired seniors Volunteer Program, Catholic Social Services and the Governor's Council on Aging. "She was a woman who always did what she should. She never complained about what happened to her in life. She took the sorrows and joys and just kept going. She was never too tired or it was never too late for her to help someone that needed help or encouragement" said longtime friend Walter Merril, who worked with Emmett on the church storehouse. Fees said other projects of hers were the Desert Samaritan Hospital auxiliary and her 50-year involvement with the Republican Party. In recognition of Emmett's community involvement, former Gov. Evan Mecham named her one of Arizona's senior citizens of the year in 1987. Emmett was born in Burlington, VT and moved to AZ in 1929 from Wyoming. Emmet, her late husband E. Simpron and three children - all now deceased - moved to a house on North Grand Street in Mesa where she had lived ever since.
"I told someone that I'd die as soon as I figure our how to take my house and trees with me," Emmett said in 1989. It was not only her community involvement that made Emmett famous but also her baking skills. Bob Lofgren, retired director fo the Mesa Senior Center, said Emmett would frequently bake large numbers of pies, and at Christmas she would bake 50 or more fruitcakes. She was almost as well known for her persimmon cookies, fruitcakes and apple pies as she was for her community service. She once baked 40 dozen cookies for the governor's reception at a Conference on Aging. "She was constantly busy serving other people," Lofgren said. He attributes her long life to her constant volunteeer work. "She always had her mind on helping other people," he said
Contributed by: Renae Burgess Linn
LIFELONG VOLUNTEER CLARA EMMETT DIES
Clara B Emmett, who was heralded for her pioneering spirit and lifelong volunteer efforts, including helping to establish the Mesa Senior Center, died Saturday at Deseret Samartitan Hospital. She was 90. Emmett suffered a stroke about 10 days ago and had been hospitalized ever since, said her grandson, Brian Fees. Emmett known to her friends simply as "Clara B.", was small and somewhat frail-looking, but those who knew her said her looks were deceiving.
Her fiery demeanor and unquenchable drive helped her become instrumental in everything from getting local schools to supply lunches to becoming statewide director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Bishop's Storehouse and Cannery in Mesa and helping run it for 25 years. She also helped start the state's Muscular Dystrophy Association and Sirrine Adult Day Care Center. Some of her other projects includes involvement in the Area Agency on Aging, the United Way, the Mesa Community Council, the Salvation Arumy auxiliary, the Red Cross, Pre-Hab, the Mesa Association of retarded Citizens, Tri-City Retired seniors Volunteer Program, Catholic Social Services and the Governor's Council on Aging. "She was a woman who always did what she should. She never complained about what happened to her in life. She took the sorrows and joys and just kept going. She was never too tired or it was never too late for her to help someone that needed help or encouragement" said longtime friend Walter Merril, who worked with Emmett on the church storehouse. Fees said other projects of hers were the Desert Samaritan Hospital auxiliary and her 50-year involvement with the Republican Party. In recognition of Emmett's community involvement, former Gov. Evan Mecham named her one of Arizona's senior citizens of the year in 1987. Emmett was born in Burlington, VT and moved to AZ in 1929 from Wyoming. Emmet, her late husband E. Simpron and three children - all now deceased - moved to a house on North Grand Street in Mesa where she had lived ever since.
"I told someone that I'd die as soon as I figure our how to take my house and trees with me," Emmett said in 1989. It was not only her community involvement that made Emmett famous but also her baking skills. Bob Lofgren, retired director fo the Mesa Senior Center, said Emmett would frequently bake large numbers of pies, and at Christmas she would bake 50 or more fruitcakes. She was almost as well known for her persimmon cookies, fruitcakes and apple pies as she was for her community service. She once baked 40 dozen cookies for the governor's reception at a Conference on Aging. "She was constantly busy serving other people," Lofgren said. He attributes her long life to her constant volunteeer work. "She always had her mind on helping other people," he said
Contributed by: Renae Burgess Linn
Clara B Emmett, who was heralded for her pioneering spirit and lifelong volunteer efforts, including helping to establish the Mesa Senior Center, died Saturday at Deseret Samartitan Hospital. She was 90. Emmett suffered a stroke about 10 days ago and had been hospitalized ever since, said her grandson, Brian Fees. Emmett known to her friends simply as "Clara B.", was small and somewhat frail-looking, but those who knew her said her looks were deceiving.
Her fiery demeanor and unquenchable drive helped her become instrumental in everything from getting local schools to supply lunches to becoming statewide director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Bishop's Storehouse and Cannery in Mesa and helping run it for 25 years. She also helped start the state's Muscular Dystrophy Association and Sirrine Adult Day Care Center. Some of her other projects includes involvement in the Area Agency on Aging, the United Way, the Mesa Community Council, the Salvation Arumy auxiliary, the Red Cross, Pre-Hab, the Mesa Association of retarded Citizens, Tri-City Retired seniors Volunteer Program, Catholic Social Services and the Governor's Council on Aging. "She was a woman who always did what she should. She never complained about what happened to her in life. She took the sorrows and joys and just kept going. She was never too tired or it was never too late for her to help someone that needed help or encouragement" said longtime friend Walter Merril, who worked with Emmett on the church storehouse. Fees said other projects of hers were the Desert Samaritan Hospital auxiliary and her 50-year involvement with the Republican Party. In recognition of Emmett's community involvement, former Gov. Evan Mecham named her one of Arizona's senior citizens of the year in 1987. Emmett was born in Burlington, VT and moved to AZ in 1929 from Wyoming. Emmet, her late husband E. Simpron and three children - all now deceased - moved to a house on North Grand Street in Mesa where she had lived ever since.
"I told someone that I'd die as soon as I figure our how to take my house and trees with me," Emmett said in 1989. It was not only her community involvement that made Emmett famous but also her baking skills. Bob Lofgren, retired director fo the Mesa Senior Center, said Emmett would frequently bake large numbers of pies, and at Christmas she would bake 50 or more fruitcakes. She was almost as well known for her persimmon cookies, fruitcakes and apple pies as she was for her community service. She once baked 40 dozen cookies for the governor's reception at a Conference on Aging. "She was constantly busy serving other people," Lofgren said. He attributes her long life to her constant volunteeer work. "She always had her mind on helping other people," he said
Contributed by: Renae Burgess Linn
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