Extracted from The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)
Thursday, June 4, 2009

Sadie Clyde Clark Prestridge

She was born March 26, 1915, at home in Diboll, Texas, to parents James Madison Clark and Sadie Etta Long Clark and died Sunday May 31, 2009, at age 94. Her family moved to Louisiana in 1930 and she graduated from LSU in 1938 with a degree in journalism. Playing the piano gave her much pleasure for most of her life, and she was the first pianist at Southside Baptist Church when it was chartered in the 1940s. A volunteer for many civic and church organizations, she worked at the VIPS office, the Baton Rouge General Medical Center, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, the USS Kidd, and read books weekly for “her” kids at University Terrace Elementary School. She also read for her blind friend, Mary Belle Dettor, from their college days until Mary's death in 2007. Clyde retired from Exxon in 1985 after 38 years of service. Writing was one of her hobbies and she enjoyed doing freelance articles for newspapers and periodicals. Many of her feature stories were about her friends and their trips, jobs or special interests. She adored her grandchildren, who knew her as “Mimi,” and loved to take them shopping and on vacation trips. She was always generous with her time and resources. Mimi was known for Easter egg hunts and backyard BBQ's around the pool.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers; husband, Robert E. Prestridge; and daughters-in-law, Mary Jean Prestridge and Dallel O. Prestridge.

She is survived by two sisters, Marian Finnell of Orange, Texas, and Ruth Clark, of Janesville, Wis.; 15 great-grandchildren and three nieces and two nephews. Also surviving is a son, W. Michael Prestridge; and grandchildren, J. Shay Prestridge Meyer and husband Cris, M. Cale Prestridge and wife Christine, and T. Lee Prestridge Meyen and husband Stephen. Other surviving family is son, Eddie B. Prestridge and wife Donna; and grandchildren, Karyn Prestridge Unger and husband Paul, Bing Prestridge and wife Barbara, Wade Prestridge and wife Lois, and Patrick Prestridge and wife Sandy.

Visitation at Greenoaks Funeral Home on Thursday June 4, was from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visitation resumes at the funeral home Friday from 9 a.m. until service at 10 a.m. Interment in Resthaven Gardens of Memory. The Rev. Chris Andrews and the Rev. J. Philip Woodland will preside over the services.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clyde C. Prestridge Memorial Fund by contacting W. Michael Prestridge at (225) 766-9992.