Clara Strautz Boatright was born August 28, 1895 in Cairo, Illinois, to Fredrick and Catherine Casper Strautz. She attended Cairo public schools and St. Joseph’s Academy, continuing her education at Jacksonville, Normal, and LaSalle University.
She came to Marion from E. St. Louis to teach at Brown’s Business College from 1914 to 1933 (with six years out to become mother and homemaker). Clara then became principal from 1933 to 1936 when she resigned to become a private tutor.
Mrs. Boatright was the wife of Robert W. Boatright and the mother of two daughters, Kathryn Lucille Boatright and Dorcas June Boatright. Through the years she combined career, motherhood, homemaking and volunteering, all with the utmost grace.
She served on the Juvenile Delinquency Committee, which was appointed and directed by State’s Attorney, Lou Haney. Clara was appointed by Mayor Harry Rodd to the Marion City Recreation Committee, which was the first local non-tax supported program. She became its first chairman.
During WWII Clara served as chairman of the local USO Board and later, when that location became a youth center, she served as Director. She also served as city chairman of the Women’s Division in the Savings Bond Campaign and was a member of the Gray Ladies organization at Marion’s Veterans Hospital and participated in Red Cross drives and Blood Bank drives.
In 1947, Clara was again appointed by Mayor Harry Rodd to the first tax supported Marion Recreation Board and served for fifteen years as Secretary-Treasurer. She served on the Marion Memorial Hospital planning committee for two years before it was dedicated in 1953, and was chairman of the Nurses Scholarship Committee. It was natural that she became a member, Life Member, and officer of the Marion Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. In 1953 she was appointed to the Marion Memorial Hospital Board of Directors and served as secretary for 20 years. Upon resignation from the Hospital Board she was given the status of “Emeritus” member of the Board of Directors.
Mrs. Boatright was listed in the 1969 edition of “Illinois Lives” which placed special emphasis on her achievements in making Illinois one of America’s greatest states. She was honored in 1971 as the Greater Marion Area Chamber of Commerce’s first “citizen of the year” for her many civic accomplishments. Also in 1971 she was a runner-up for “Mother of the State of Illinois” and designated a “Merit Mother” by the American Mothers Committee of the U.S.A. She was a member of the Marion Carnegie Library Board, an honorary member of the first Marion chapter of the Beta Mu Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, President of the Fortnightly Club, honorary member of the St. Mary’s Alter Society, and now a member of the Women’s Guild.
The Belleville Diocese of Catholic Women recognized Clara Boatright as “Outstanding Women for Church Service for Women over 75 in 1982; and while Clara was President of Marion Woman’s Club (1936-1937) the Marion Junior Women’s Club was organized. During 1937 all civic groups co-sponsored a meeting honoring Congressman Kent Keller at which Clara was the speaker.
As President of the Marion Business and Professional Woman’s Club (1932-1933) she had the opportunity of presenting Georgia Clifford (mother of Clark Clifford) as speaker at their Public Relations dinner. During that same year she led the club in the organization of the first Girl Scout Council in Marion, serving on the committee forming the first troop and was Scout Troop Leader and Council Member for several years.
It’s difficult to fathom that one woman with so many talents can also sing and traveled to many parts of the State as a member of the B.P.W. Sextet. Probably one of her most memorable experiences was as B.P.W. past president she gave the invocation at a Public Relations dinner on March 22, 1935 at which Amelia Earhart (Putnam) was the guest speaker.
On May 11, 1987, the Marion City Council, led by Mayor Robert Butler passed a resolution honoring Clara Boatright for “over 50 years of unselfishly serving Marion and its citizens, displaying leadership of the highest order, giving of her time, energy, keen intelligence, sound judgment and gracious demeanor.”
Sam’s Notes: Clara died on April 26, 1994. For more information see the post Robert W. Boatright 1889-1962.
(Article written by Mary Lou Roberts and published in the 1989 Sesquicentennial History)