Nelli Rita Clark February 18, 1947 – June 1, 2022

Nelli Rita Clark, our mom/dad, hero and best friend, went to dance with the angels on June 1, 2022, at the young age of 75. Her three children were by her side.

Nelli lived an incredible life of courage, strength and tenacity. She had many, many friends who she considered her extended family throughout the Eureka Springs community.   

Nelli was born in February 1947 in Naumburg, Germany (East Germany) during WWII and escaped to West Germany (Berlin) at age seven with her parents, where she lived through her adolescent and teenage years. 

They escaped Communist rule at a time when many desperate East Germans were shot dead trying to get across the border. As refugees, Nelli and her family initially lived in a large auditorium with many other families while her parents struggled to find work. At age 18, she met and married a US soldier with whom she created her most prize possessions, her three children, Sheila, Susann and Patrick. 

In 1974, at age 27, she moved to the United States to raise her three children independently. With no skills and a language barrier, Nelli learned to speak English through her children and as a waitress, a job she did for decades. Through her hard work, she purchased her home on Cliff Street in 1977, where she raised her family and lived the remainder of her life.

She was a proud gardener and enjoyed maintaining her home, especially cutting and splitting firewood for her beloved woodstove. She is a true example of a German immigrant living the American dream and was proud to become a U.S. citizen in 2006.

Nelli was the life of the party, a spitfire, as many would call her. She was a pretty blonde, petite at only about five feet tall, and a standout in a crowd whether it was dancing, enjoying a parade, eating out with friends, or hosting a party on the deck of her home. Her friends say she was a particularly good cook who loved entertaining, especially for birthdays and holidays, where music, dancing and fun was involved.

Her most outstanding achievement, she would tell you quickly, was raising three children who have created successful careers and lives for themselves and their children, her grandchildren. Nelli preached independence and pushed her kids to work hard in whatever they chose to do. 

Nelli was particularly close to her Cliff Street neighbors, a group known as the Cliff Dwellers. She had a large number of other friends, and never missed an opportunity to help someone in need. She was a proud volunteer with the ECHO Clinic and enjoyed giving back to the community that had helped her greatly over the years. 

Nelli was never shy about airing her opinions and was infamous for telling people just what she thought. But she had a smile and a twinkle in her eye that let you know it was meant to amuse. Many people even enjoyed her ribbing; it was an essential part of her personality. 

Nelli was extremely proud of her Toyota RAV4, easily recognizable with her German flag license plate. Living in the heart of downtown, she walked hundreds of miles, proven by the 40,000 miles she had driven in 15 years. 

She would walk to work and, after retirement, took a walk up the town’s steep hills nearly every day. She encouraged her friends to join her for exercise, companionship, and to enjoy the beauty of the town. Nelli would meet and talk to so many friends on her walks that she was sometimes gone for several hours.

In recent years, she picked up her new sport of kayaking, which she enjoyed with her children and friends. She loved concerts in the park and never missed an opportunity to dance. Nelli lived life to the fullest, without boundaries, and was such an inspiration to everyone who met her.  

Nelli is survived by her daughter Sheila Clark, and Sheila’s daughter, Cassandra, of Olathe, Kansas; daughter Susie Baker (Jeff Baker), and their son, Keaton, of Olathe, Kansas; and son Patrick Clark (Amber Clark), and their son, Brenden, of Billings, Mo. She is also survived by her mother, Rita Hanusch, 93, of Berlin, Germany. In her retirement years, Nelli enjoyed traveling to Berlin for about two months a year to visit her hometown and spend time with her mother.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of our mother, we would appreciate donations be sent to The ECHO Clinic, which was near and dear to Nelli’s heart. Donations can be made at ECHOfreeclinig.org or by sending a check to the clinic at 4004 E. Van Buren, Eureka Springs AR 72632. Or, plant a flower in her memory.

A celebration of life for Nelli will be held this summer, with a date pending. In the meantime, we would love to hear your stories of our mother and friend, which we will share at her celebration. Please email your stories and favorite photos to shines@gersoncompany.com.