Karen Lorene (Smith) Clark was born in Maryville, Missouri, on April 14, 1949, to Lorene (Campbell) Smith and William Phillip Smith. She was welcomed home by her brother, James “Jim,” and her sister, Sherry. The Smith family was not complete until two more sisters were born: Beverly and Debbie.

Karen grew up on the family farm and enjoyed the time spent with her brother, sisters, and parents as well as the many animals and pets, including the family horse. Farm life for the Smith kids was very important in learning how to care for the animals and each other. She attended Happy Hill country school, often by riding there on the family’s beloved horse, “Old Joe” with Jim and Sherry. Karen then attended Tarkio High School in Tarkio, Missouri, and graduated in 1966.

While attending church camp one year, Kent Clark was asked by the minister why he wasn’t married yet. He replied with, “I’ll be married as soon as I find a woman that cooks like my mother and sings like Karen Smith.” Kent and Karen soon began dating and were married in 1966 at the Tarkio Assembly of God Church. They made their home in the Tarkio area their entire married life and became the parents of two sons, Kevin Ray and Kurtis William. Kent and Karen were married for almost 49 years before Kent passed away in October of 2015.

Karen was a very caring person and a source of comfort to many. Besides being a wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker, she also worked at Hooper Insurance, Salmond Insurance, and spent many years babysitting children for families in the area. For 29 years, Karen was the office manager at the Tarkio Board of Public Works, retiring in 2016.

At the age of seven years old, during a revival service, Karen was saved. She lived her life as a devoted Christian who loved our Heavenly Father with her whole heart. She was a very active member of the Tarkio First Baptist Church, where she previously served as a Sunday school teacher, served on the Pastor Search committee, sang in the choir, and was a trustee. She loved traveling and listening to gospel music with Kent, spending time with her family, gardening, sewing, playing cards, cheering on the East Atchison Wolves with Clem and Sherry, and eating and visiting with her friends at the Tarkio Nutrition Center.

Karen passed away Sunday, September 7, 2025, at Community Hospital-Fairfax in Fairfax, Missouri, at the age of 76, with both of her sons at her side. Besides her parents and husband, Karen was preceded in death by her sister, Sherry Clement; her sisters-in-law, Margaret Clark, Shirley Carlisle, and Roberta Clark; and her brothers-in-law, Kim Clark, Philip Clark, William Clark, and Duane “Clem” Clement. Survivors include son, Kevin Clark and his wife, Twilla; her precious granddaughter, Lauren Clark; and son, Kurtis Clark and his wife, Lori, all of Tarkio. Additional survivors include her brother, Jim (Bonnie) Smith; her sisters, Beverly (Jim) Blackford and Debbie (Tim) Henson; her sisters-in-law, Anna Clark and Judy Clark; her brother-in-law, Howard Carlisle; and an abundance of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends whom she loved dearly.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 12, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Tarkio, conducted by Pastor Tate Walker. Open visitation begins at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, September 11, at Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio, where the family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. (The family requests casual attire for the visitation and service.) Interment will be at Home Cemetery, Tarkio. Memorials may be directed to Prairie Hill Cemetery or Atchison County Nutrition Center, both of Tarkio. Arrangements are under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio. Online condolences may be made at www.minterfuneralchapels.com.