Tressie Josephine Clark Russell

Tressie Josephine (Jo) Walker Clark Russell, 92, went to be with her heavenly Father on June 21, 2019 at Valley Baptist Medical Center.

Tressie (Jo) was born on April 3, 1927 on a farm near Cumi, Arkansas to the Rev. John E. and Mabel Wells Walker.  She was the third child in a family of 5 girls and 5 boys.

Tressie (Jo) left Arkansas at the age of 16 during WWII to work at Union Oil in Vallejo, California.  She worked there for nearly 3 years before returning to Mountain Home, Arkansas.  At Mountain Home, she met her future husband for the next 63 years, L.W. (Larry) Clark.  Larry was a Texan, so they married on December 27, 1946 and began life in Cameron, Texas.

Jo & Larry moved to the Valley in 1960. As Larry and daughter, Nancy became avid Harlingen Tennis players, Jo began playing tennis.  Jo, Larry, and Nancy were ranked in Texas in many age divisions and enjoyed playing tournaments throughout Texas for many years.  Jo loved the sport, but had to stop playing tennis in 1997 when she fell and broke her right leg.  She had many tennis friends in Harlingen.  Jo was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.

Jo & Larry were owners of Abaah Insect Control Service in Harlingen.  Jo attended Durham Business College, earning an Associate’s Degree in Accounting.  She performed all the accounting chores of the business until age 86.

She is survived by her second husband of 8 years, Horace Russell; daughter Nancy K. Clark of Harlingen; step daughter Pam Sims of Winnsboro; sons Leslie W. (Buddy) Clark and Richard B. Clark both of Harlingen; 4 grandchildren Mark Anthony Clark. Leslie Karen Clark, Catherine Ann Clark and Richard Andrew Clark all of Harlingen; and 4 great grandchildren.  She is also survived by 3 sisters Louise Bryant and Nadine Moore of Mountain Home, Arkansas; Bonita Montgomery of Viola, Arkansas; her 3 surviving brothers include Calvin Walker of Mountain Home, Ja Walker and Donnie Gene Walker of Henderson, Arkansas.  She as likewise survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband Larry W. Clark; sister Evelyn Hawkins, brother Joe Walker, and brother Tommie Walker.

Visitation hours will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, June 25th at the funeral home.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26th at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.  Burial will follow at Heavenly Grace Cemetery in La Feria.

Serving as pallbearers will be Larry Elliff, Keith Burns, Keith King, Doug Hansen, Paul Thomas and Glen Williams.

In lieu of flowers, pleas donate to American Heart Association.