Mary "Tote" Clark

Mary Cleota (Brasel) Clark (known to everyone as Tote) was born January 16, 1920, the daughter of Elmer Nelson and Anne Lucille (Powers) Brasel. She passed away in her home in Dow City, Iowa, on August 25, 2013, at the age of 93 years, 7 months, and 9 days.
Tote was born in Dow City. She graduated from the Dow City High School in 1938. After high school, Tote worked at the egg candling plant in Dow City. She was united in marriage to her classmate, Donald Wayne Clark, the son of James Clark and Etta Alvira (Stepanek) Clark on May 24, 1941, at St. Patrick Catholic Church Rectory in Dunlap, Iowa. To this union was born four children, two daughters and two sons. When first married, they lived in Waterloo, Iowa, where LaDonna was born. In the spring of 1942 they moved to a farm south of Dunlap. In May of that year, Janet was born. After four years they moved to the Shea farm where they resided until 1956. In 1957 they purchased their farm in Paradise township. They farmed there until retiring to Dow City in1969.
Tote enjoyed socializing and playing cards, especially with their neighbors on the farm. They had their own little “country” club and everyone took turns providing lunch. Tote liked to cook and bake and she made great pies. Tote gathered weekly with a group of friends for many years and they made and painted ceramic figurines. Don and Tote traveled to Florida for 33 winters and had their own home in Bradenton. Tote was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Dow City where she served on the Altar Guild.
Tote was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Leonard Leo Clark and Donald Wayne Clark, Jr., both in infancy; two brothers, Russell Brasel and Robert Brasel and his wife, Nellie; one son-in-law, Gary Freie; and two grandchildren, Marissa and Jason Freie. Survivors include her husband, Donald of Dow City, Iowa; two daughters: LaDonna Mary Mastromatteo and her husband, Frank of Kettering, Ohio; and Janet Carol Freie of Columbia, Missouri; seven grandchildren: Andrea Mastromatteo Royce and her husband, Michael; Matthew Mastromatteo, Kirk Mastromatteo; Mitchell Mastromatteo and his wife, Julie; Carissa Freie Jacobs, and Jordan Freie and his wife, Jen; and six great-grandchildren: Samuel Mastromatteo, Spencer Stapleton, Sawyer Stapleton, Grant Mastromatteo, Luke Mastromatteo, Benjamin Mastromatteo, and Nolan Freie; one sister, Lois Riley of Quincy, Illinois; one sister-in-law, Mary Jane Brasel of Dow City, Iowa; 26 nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.