Celebrating the life of Renda Kay Clark

Renda Kay Clark passed away peacefully in her home in Houma, Louisiana, on May 14, 2020, at the age of 67.

She was born Nov. 19, 1952, in Cape Girardeau to Betty and John Schlitt.

The only girl of six children (Ronnie, Renda, Roger, Ricky, Randy and John), Renda Schlitt grew up in Cape Girardeau on Hanover Street and attended St. Mary's Elementary as a young girl.

Growing up the only girl of six, Renda was great at helping taking care of her brothers. Every night she fed the youngest brother and after dinner, she would take them for a walk in the stroller up and down Hanover Street. She liked to window-shop on Broadway and Main Street and often had one of her younger brothers in tow.

She was great at sports and loved to play ball in the park with the boys or in the street with the neighborhood children. Growing up, Renda's family spent many weekends swimming and water skiing on the Mississippi River. She was a great swimmer and became a lifeguard, went ice-skating every time the pond in Capaha Park froze over, loved driving Little-Bo-Jeep, the family ice-cream truck, and selling ice cream and snow cones from the back. In a house full of boys, Renda was the only one to have her own room and spent a lot of time fixing her hair and changing hairstyles and loved trying different makeups.

Renda ClarkSubmitted by R.J. Schlitt

Renda started high school at Notre Dame, then transferred to Central High School. There she met her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Charles Wayne Clark. After high school, Renda and Wayne married to embark on an adventurous life together.

After high school, Wayne joined the military and was stationed in Thailand and then Pensacola, Florida. Afterward they returned to Missouri as he attended college and graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla. In the meantime, Renda worked as a teller at First Federal and later Farmers and Merchants Bank in Cape and then at the University of Missouri-Rolla as a secretary.

After graduation, Wayne joined Exxon, later becoming ExxonMobil, and spent his whole career with them. As Wayne took on each assignment throughout his career, Renda adapted to the new city or workplace as a devoted wife and mother.

After having a daughter and helping support the family through their early years, Renda followed her dream and became a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines. She was able to parallel her airline base with Wayne's career assignments working her way into the small airline bases that Delta had in New Orleans, Houston and others, so she could be home most nights and weekends with her family. She was an outstanding flight attendant and loved her job so much. She radiated and exuded confidence and poise as she traveled much of the world.

She hung up her flight attendant hat of more than a dozen years as her husband took on the lead role of production manager in Malaysia for ExxonMobil, and they moved overseas. They embarked on an adventure to see and travel the world together.

Renda's Wings from Delta Airlines pinned on by Wayne.Submitted by R.J. Schlitt

A whole new world awaited her, as her role was social and diplomatic, serving alongside her husband, meeting, dining and attending parties with the King and Queen of Malaysia and other such dignitaries. She had the opportunity to travel to Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and most of the world during the five years they were based in Malaysia. They also spent time in Europe, London and Australia.

Their adventure continued in Equatorial Guinea, Africa, when Wayne took an assignment as President of ExxonMobil in that country, Renda became known as the First Lady. They were in Africa for 5 years, dining with the president of the country and his wife. They entertained dignitaries taking them on golfing and fishing outings as well as hosting dinner parties. She volunteered in the villages and taught French at the local schools. She organized outings and shopping trips for the ex-patriots.

Eventually, they moved back to Houston and retired and then finally moved to Louisiana to be closer to her daughter, Dr. Cheri Clark Hemelt, Dr. Brent and lovely grandchildren (Andrew, Emily, Taylor and Anna).

Being very creative and adventurous, she was a self-taught seamstress and chef. Her hobbies included making beautiful porcelain dolls, painting the faces and sewing the clothing. She often gave these beautiful creations of art as gifts. Shopping in places all around the world fascinated her. She bought dishes in almost every country she visited, so she could entertain friends and family with pieces of her travels at home.

Once back in the U.S., she loved hosting holidays at her house, going by limousine to local restaurants for supper, going to the Saenger Theatre and going to concerts. Her favorite things to do were getting dressed up and wearing hats to high tea at the Windsor Court or playing Monopoly and dominoes and poker with her grandchildren. She had dreams of going back to Malaysia to visit friends, and buying a house on the ocean.

Renda had a great spirit and was always up for the next adventure. There was barely anything she couldn't do and nothing she wouldn't try. She touched the lives of many and will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by Charles Wayne Clark, the love of her life, (Houma, Louisiana); Drs. Cheri and Brent Hemelt, Andrew, Emily, Taylor and Anna (New Orleans).

Renda is the second of six children and survived by her mother, Betty Schlitt Dumas (Doyle), and by her siblings, Ron Schlitt (Pandora), Rick Schlitt (Jane), RJ Schlitt and John Schlitt (Beth); and two aunts: Della Darling and Susan Lee; and two uncles, Msgr. Harry Schlitt and John Reynolds, and many cousins.

Her father, John Schlitt, and brother, Roger Schlitt preceded her in death.

The Clark, Schlitt and Hemelt families will have visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Funeral will be held on Saturday, June 20, at 11 a.m. at St. Vincent's Church, 741 N. Forest Dr., Cape Girardeau. Msgr. Harry Schlitt, her uncle, will be presiding over the prayers and celebration.

Her final resting place will be in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC.

Article sponsored by Clark, Hemelt and Schlitt families..