Linda "Gay" (Donaldson) Clark, 75, of Decatur, passed away on April 20, 2023 at Decatur Memorial Hospital in Decatur.

A private graveside service will be held on Monday, April 24, 2023, followed by a public memorial service at Elwin United Methodist Church at 4:00 pm that day. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Elwin United Methodist Church or the National Parkinson Foundation: 200 SE 1 ^st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 .

Gay was born October 19, 1947 in Decatur, the daughter of Nova and Marian (Carr) Donaldson. She was a graduate of Macon High School (Class of 1965), received a bachelor's degree in music education from Millikin University and a master's degree in elementary education from Eastern Illinois University. She married her high school sweetheart, Alan Lynn Clark, on January 25, 1969 and they loved travelling together over their 54 years of marriage. Together they travelled to 45 states; she loved the mountains and sitting and watching the water, especially in South Haven, Michigan. Gay was a member of Elwin United Methodist Church for 50+ years and was their devoted choir director for 44 years. She had a beautiful singing voice and enjoyed playing the piano, also teaching piano lessons in their home for several years. She taught 3 ^rd , 4 ^th , and 5 ^th grades at Macon Grade School/Meridian Intermediate School and retired in 2007. Gay loved spending time with her family and enjoyed cooking, sewing, reading, and gardening. She was a member of Macon Stitches. Gay enjoyed attending any event that her grandchildren were involved in and she could never turn down an evening trip for ice cream.

Surviving is her husband, her daughter Gwen (Will) Davis of Mt. Zion, son Ryan (Jamie) Clark of Macon, and daughter Brenna (Chris) Elston of Villa Grove. Her grandchildren are Connor and Chloe Davis of Mt. Zion, Austin and Abigail Clark of Macon, and Charlotte and Harrison Elston of Villa Grove. Also surviving is her sister Mary Carr (Jerry) Anderson of Bluffton, SC.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

The family would like to thank the staff of Decatur Memorial Hospital and Memorial Hospice for their compassionate care.