Rosa Mary Clark

Mrs. Rosa M. Sanders Clark, the fourth child of the late Nathaniel and Evia (Clements) Sanders of Leland, Mississippi, was born April 29, 1937. Rosa accepted the Lord as her personal Savior at an early age. She was a dedicated member of Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church where she served as chairperson of the Higher Education Ministry and as a member of Link 1 of the United Methodist Women. She was truly a servant leader of the church before her illness.

She remained a cherished member of Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church and was faithfully remembered on the church's Sick and Shut-In ministry list. She attended elementary and secondary school at Breisch High School in Leland, Mississippi, and graduated among the top three in the senior class of 1956. After high school she attended Alcorn A&I State University in Lorman, Mississippi, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology, Chemistry, and General Science. 

She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Before graduation she completed six weeks of student teaching at Breisch High School, where she taught one of her brothers. Later in life she received a master's degree from Fisk University and completed 30+ graduate hours at Peabody College. She taught Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at Hunt High School in Columbus, Mississippi, for four years and in Metro Nashville Public Schools for 35 years, from which she retired. She was a dedicated teacher, very active in professional development, and participated in civic service. 

In 1962, Rosa married Dr. Herbert Leon Clark, and to this union were born two children: a son, Bruno (Edwena) Clark of Smyrna, Tennessee, and a daughter, Carolyn "Renee" Clark Cheatham. Rosa made her transition into eternity on March 22, 2026. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nathaniel and Evia C. Sanders; one daughter, Carolyn "Renee" Clark Cheatham; one brother, George Sanders; and two sisters, Shirley Adams and Barbara Williams. 

She leaves to cherish her beautiful memories of a well-lived life of sixty-four years with her husband, Dr. Herbert Leon Clark of Nashville; her son, Bruno (Edwena) Clark of Smyrna, Tennessee; two sisters, Lenora S. Brown and Hurtice (Curtis) Howard of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana; two brothers, Nathaniel (Lena) Sanders, Jr. of Moss Point, Mississippi, and Ray B. Sanders of Pascagoula, Mississippi; four grandchildren, Kayla Cheatham (Cascius) Hill, Kyndal Cheatham, Kimberly Cheatham, and Kristopher Cheatham; eight great-grandchildren, Zaria Cheatham, K.J. Cheatham, Levi Cheatham, Chloe Cheatham, Amiyah Hill, Avianna Hill, Aria Hill, and Mars Jackson; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends.