Clara New

Clara Maples New, 91, of Sweeny passed away peacefully and left this world to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. She was born Clara Ann Moore on October 23, 1927, in Glenfawn, Texas.

Clara was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Sweeny, where she served for many years as a Sunday School teacher. She also had a special appreciation for the members and programs of First United Methodist Church of Sweeny. She spent her entire teaching career as a home economics teacher at Sweeny High School and freely shared her expertise with members of the community, as well as her students. She was a superb cook and seamstress.

After retirement Clara and her husband, John, served as volunteer missionaries in American Samoa and Morelia, Mexico. She also spent several years serving her community through Meals on Wheels. Clara never lost her love of learning and developing new skills and interests.

Clara was preceded in death by her first husband of 49 years, John C. Maples, and her second husband, Charles W. New. She is survived by two daughters, Donna Burney and husband, Munger, of Crawford, Texas, and Joan Atwood and husband, Martin, of Houston; stepdaughter, Sylvia Berry and husband, Andy, of Lampasas, Texas; granddaughters Camille Merck and husband, Robert, of Easley, South Carolina, and their children Hailey, Colton, and Charlotte, and Lindsay Horton and husband, JB, of Fort Worth, and their children Audrey and Ben. She is survived by numerous step grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
The family would like to thank Francis Schmidt and Karen Hanna for their loving care of Clara for a number of years.

Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church, Sweeny, on Sunday, April 28, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The funeral service will be held on Monday, April 29, at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church, Sweeny. Burial will follow at Mays Cemetery in New Salem, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Light in the Gap Ministry, First Baptist Church of Woodway, 101 Ritchie Road, Waco, TX 76712.

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