Mamie “Lois” (Smith) Clifton entered into eternal rest at Twin Willows Nursing Home in Salem on January 17, 2022 at the age of 92. She resided in Marion County her entire life, was baptized in Jim’s Creek when she was 12 years old, attended school at Possum Trot, and then graduated from Salem High School in 1946. Lois spent most of her adult life in Central City, then moved back to Salem in 2006. Lois was most recently a member of Grace Church of the Nazarene in Salem.
On June 26, 1946, Lois married Ernie Clifton, a man who adored, treasured, and protected her. Within a week of their marriage, Lois went to work at the dress factory. She worked her way up to sewing instructor and then plant manager. She took great pride in this job, still sharing stories of coworkers until recently.
Ernie was the love of Lois’s life. They would spend hours together fishing, crafting, swinging and watching the birds, or drinking coffee together; their friendship was as strong as their marriage. Lois created a space for family and friends to come and always feel welcome. She loved hosting her kids, grandkids, extended family, friends, neighbors—no one was a stranger. Many memories were made around her dinner table. She was an avid St. Louis Cardinals Fan. Lois’s family would like to give special thanks to the caring staff at Twin Willows Nursing Center in Salem, Illinois where Lois spent the last eight months of her life.
Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at Hillcrest Memorial Park Lakeside Chapel in Centralia with Pastor Mark Copley leading the service. The family asks those attending to please wear a mask and to be mindful of social distancing. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Twin Willows Nursing Center and will be accepted by the Crouse Funeral Home in Salem who is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences and memories of Lois may be shared with the family by visiting www.CrouseFH.com.
Lois is survived by her sister, Dana Martin (John); her children, Lynda Dunn, Karen Short, and Ernie Clifton (Lisa); grandchildren John Glenn, Carol Ann Short, Chris Short (Susan), Tobby Haines (Stacey), and Jennifer Rohrscheib (Tom); her great grandchildren, Ethan Haines, Tessa Haines, Riley Haines, Dalton Rohrscheib (Jaclyn), and Logan Rohrscheib; and her in-laws, Zola Mae (Toby) Clifton and Phyllis Clifton. Lois always had a beautiful smile on her face. In recent years, she often looked for opportunities to ask people how old they thought she was, then she would surprise them by telling them her actual age. She always had a lightness and joy about her, young at heart, with peace within her heart that spread to others. The last months have been filled with peace as we and she knew that she was soon going home to join the Lord and to reunite with those who preceded her in death.
Lois was born October 2, 1929, to Howard and Elsie (Powell) Smith in Tonti Township, in Marion County, Illinois. Lois was preceded in death by: her parents, Elsie Elta (Powell) and Ernest Howard Smith; her husband, Ernest “Ernie” Ray Clifton, Sr.; her siblings, Ida Mellisa Smith, Ernest Francis Smith, Lola May Smith, Billie Joe Smith, Howard Dale Smith; her granddaughter, Julie Ann Glenn; and her sons-in-law, Robert Glenn, Charles Dunn, and Charles “Chuck” Short; and her in-laws, James and Julia (Sinclair) Clifton, Mary Lou and Bill Beckmeyer, Jerry and Nina Clifton, Thelma and Harley Eagan, Jane and Ivan McClain, and Robert Dean Clifton, Sr.
