Janet M. Clarke

Janet Mullikin Clarke, age 89, of Wilmington, DE, formerly of Bowie, MD, passed away on November 3, 2023.

Janet was born and raised in Bowie, MD. She went on to study business at the University of Maryland, where she met her to-be husband, Dr. J. F. Gates Clarke, Jr. They were wed and Janet devoted her time and talents to caring for her family.

A humanitarian at heart, Janet was a staunch supporter of women’s and civil rights; she was a firm believer in inclusion for all long before it was widely accepted. She was also an advocate for children and believed in giving children their own voice. In her day to day travels, Janet would strike up conversations with strangers, which always led to her gaining a new friend.

Janet loved gardening and preparing meals for her family in her custom built kitchen that she designed. She was a member of the Hockessin Swim Club and enjoyed her time spent at the Hockessin Athletic Club. She was also intrigued by and studied the English language. To Janet, it was important to understand the proper structure of a sentence and to understand exactly what one is reading or writing. Words are not just simply letters on a page, but they have a breath of life.

She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. J.F. Gates Clarke Jr., in May of 2022. She is survived by her son, Brian Clarke, and his wife, Melissa; her daughter, Valerie Deely, and her boyfriend, Robert Wilson; her grandchildren, Matthew Clarke (Amanda), Suzanne Moore (Trey), Eric Deely, Nathan Clarke; and her great-grandson, John Henry.

The Clarke family would like to thank the staff of Compassionate Care Hospice, especially Jess Snyder, Beth Pezdek, Pastor Bob Harting; the Paramount Senior Living Staff; as well as Dan Tobin, Elaine Warren, Nancy Miller, and Wednesday Lampinen for their caring support over the years.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Friday, November 17th, 2023 from 10AM-11:30AM at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808. A memorial service will begin at 11:30AM.

The Clarke family requests that memorial contributions be made in Janet’s name to one of the following charities that meant a great deal to her:  Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org; National Multiple Sclerosis Society, nationalmssociety.org; or American Lung Association, lung.org.

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