Sara Steinmark Clemons, of Memphis, Tenn., passed away on Jan. 5 from heart failure. She was 88.
Sara Clemons was born in Warsaw, Poland, on May 21, 1932. Her parents made the difficult decision in 1934 to flee the anti-Semitism of Eastern Europe and go to British Mandate Palestine, now Israel. Sara spent her childhood there until they left for the United States after World War II, arriving in 1945. She lived in New York, where she learned English and graduated from Herzliya Teachers Institute and Hunter College.
Moving to Memphis, Sara married Jack Clemons at the age of 19 and, while her children were young, returned to Memphis State University (now U of M) for a master’s degree in history. She was the first education director at Beth Sholom Synagogue and taught at the Bornblum Jewish Community School, both without pay in order to help get the schools established. She was devoted to Jewish causes in Memphis and elsewhere, and passionate in her support of the State of Israel.
She is survived by her children, Dr. Mark (Mimi) Clemons of Germantown, Tenn., Howard (Anne) Clemons of Potomac and Blair (Lonnie) Dworkin of Scottsdale, Ariz.; and by her son-in-law, Dr. Phillip Mintz of Memphis. She is also survived by her sister, Nili Sauer, with whom she shared her home. Sara was predeceased by her husband, Jack Clemons; her daughter, Karen Clemons Mintz; and her parents, Saul and Mindel Steinmark.
Sara is survived by nine grandchildren, Dr. Aaron (Dr. Carrie) Mintz, Lisa Mintz, Laura (Michael) Beutler, Jon (Kathleen) Clemons, Adam Clemons, Ariel Clemons (Dr. Brian Mayrsohn), Danielle Clemons (Eric Fischer), Alexis Dworkin and Sabrina Dworkin; and six great-grandchildren, Jack Mintz, Thomas Mintz, Gabriel Clemons, Orly Clemons, Abby Beutler and Ava Mayrsohn.
Contributions may be made to the Bornblum Jewish Community School or the Margolin Hebrew Academy.
