Clara Afton Marlatt Sowers, passed away November 24, 2020 in her home with family in East Germantown, Indiana. She was born December 12, 1919 east of Milton to Zella and Charles Marlatt. She was shy of turning 101 years old by 18 days. She married Kenneth Sowers, March 8, 1941 at Zion’s Lutheran Church, East Germantown, Indiana. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Richmond for 34 years before moving back to East Germantown and attending Zion’s Lutheran Church.
Clara has two brothers, Carl Marlatt of Urbana, Ohio and Forrest Marlatt of Rushville, Indiana and many nieces and nephews.
Clara has two sons: Arnold L. (Pamela) Sowers of Fountain City; Warren Sowers of Richmond; and a daughter Laura (Richard) Sample of Sandspit, British Columbia, Canada.
Clara has five grandsons: Charles (Kristin) Sowers of Gilbert, Arizona, Brent (Dawn) Sowers of Portage, Indiana, Tevis (Melody) Sample of Sexsmith, AB, Canada, Adam (Darcy) Sowers of Katy, Texas and David (Jana) Robbins of Wiley, Texas. She has five granddaughters, Barbara Sowers of Cambridge City, Indiana, Dr. Melissa (Terry) Craig of Fishers, Indiana, Fiona (Dr. Charlie) Kirkby of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Krista (Shane Tillery) McCracken of Centerville, Indiana and Shannon Ponder of Lawrenceburg, Indiana. She has 21 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren.
Clara was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Edgar Marlatt, a sister Elnora Marlatt McConnell, a son and daughter-in-law, Curtis M. and Mary Jane Sowers, a brother-in-law, Byron Sowers and Beverly, a nephew, Charles Harvey Sowers, a niece, Roseanne Sowers Mills and a grandson, Douglas Robbins. Her husband, Kenneth Sowers passed away after 72 years of marriage.
Clara had a full life. She attended Earlham College. She and Kenny delivered Meals-on-Wheels for 23 years. She founded the first church Nursery school in Wayne County at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmond. She taught there for 17 years. She was active in church groups and in the Whitewater Valley Handweaving Guild. She had a sense of adventure, was very creative and was a keen reader. It is amazing that she lived from the end of the 1918 pandemic to the 2020 pandemic. Her family and friends will dearly miss her.
Service were held at Zion’s Lutheran Church, East Germantown on Saturday November 28, 2020 for family. Memorials can be sent to Zion’s Lutheran Church.
Online condolences to www.waskoms.com