Clara Pauline Blackwell Doss' Obituary
Clara Blackwell Doss was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 22, 1929. She died peacefully in her El Cajon, California home on March 22, 2023. Clara grew up in Chicago and married Lawrence P. Doss of Cleveland, Ohio. She moved to Cleveland, where they had a daughter, Paula Doss, who resides in Oceanside, California. She was very proud of her daughter and her accomplishments. Clara taught in the Cleveland City Schools District for many years before moving to San Diego, where she taught kindergarten for 16 years in the San Diego Unified School District at Jefferson Elementary School. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Case Western and earned a master’s degree from United States International University. While teaching for the San Diego Unified School District, she was selected to be a Master Teacher in Reading—teaching other teachers how to teach reading skills to their students. Clara especially loved teaching her young students how to learn and guiding them in setting the foundation of necessary skills for a lifetime. With education at the forefront, Clara joined other educators in San Diego to form a local chapter of the Phi Delta Kappa sorority—a sorority for educators. On the social front, Clara enjoyed using her mental agility to play bridge with a great group of women. She played the piano exceptionally well, to the delight of her students, friends, and family. When it came to the visual arts, Clara also excelled. While in high school, she was awarded summer program scholarships to study art at the Art Institute of Chicago. In Cleveland, she studied art at the Cleveland Art Institute. Throughout her life, Clara shared her love of music and art with her students, family, and friends, often attending theatre productions and the symphony. Following retirement from the San Diego Unified School District, Clara used her skills to develop a kindergarten class curriculum at Christ United Presbyterian Church. She met kindergarten colleagues for lunch and spirited conversations every month. Clara also wanted to find a Catholic parish in support of her spiritual journey. When Clara settled in El Cajon, she found a neighborhood Catholic parish, Our Lady of Grace, where she attended for over 40 years.
Clara is survived by her daughter Paula, her daughter-in-law Beth Epperson, and her brother-in-law Leonard Perry—husband of her predeceased sister Elinor. Also surviving Clara are her nieces Valorie, Pam, Patricia, Lenore, and Lisa, her nephews Leonard, Jr. (Chip), Frank, Eric, Mark, and John, other relatives and many wonderful friends.
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