KAREN J. CLARK-STONE

KAREN J. CLARK-STONE

     Karen J. Clark-Stone, 82, of Alexandria, VA, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, in Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, VA.

     Karen Jean Clark was born Oct. 2, 1941, in Black River Falls, Jackson County, WI., to Eugene Jr. and Vivian (Zeman) Clark. She graduated from Black River Falls High School in 1959.

     Karen launched her career in nursing following her graduation from the Madison General Hospital School of Nursing in Madison in 1962. She worked in a variety of locations, including Madison, New Haven, CT, and Seattle, WA. She joined the staff of St. Francis Medical Center in La Crosse in 1969, holding a number of positions over the course of 13 years. She also worked at La Crosse Lutheran Hospital as a staff instructor. Karen received her bachelor of science in nursing from Viterbo College in 1977.

     Karen moved to California in 1986, eventually joining the Veterans’ Administration in Oakland as a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist.  Karen received her master of science in nursing from the University of California-San Francisco in 1991. In 1992, Karen moved to Alexandria, VA, and continued to work with the Veterans’ Administration in a variety of positions at the medical center in Washington, D.C., until her retirement in 2008.

     Karen was a member of both the Wisconsin and California Nurses Association and worked tirelessly to advance those associations’ legislative agendas. She enjoyed travel and spending time with her family. Karen was also deeply involved with a number of spiritual communities in California and Northern Virginia.

     Survivors include two sons, Christopher (Teresa Bunten) Dopke of Portsmouth, VA, and Justin (Susan Glover) Dopke of Baltimore, MD; three grandchildren; three sisters; three brothers; and 16 nieces and nephews.  Karen was preceded in death by her father, Eugene, and mother, Vivian.

     Memorial services will be held at a later date in Black River Falls.