Obituary for Clara Jean Reach Marchant
Clara Jean Reach Marchant, 85, of West Blocton, Alabama passed away Friday, October 11, 2024, at Shelby Baptist Medical Center, Alabaster, Alabama. A service to honor her life will be held at Ada Chapel Bible Methodist Church, Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 1:00 pm. Visitation will be held from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Rev. Doug Eads will be officiating the funeral. Burial will immediately follow at the George Stewart Cemetery adjoining the church.
Jean was born on June 2, 1939, to Grady McCoy Reach and Beatrice Hayes Reach at Hillman Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Their family later settled in Vance, Alabama. Jean was the oldest of three children.
Jean began her education at Vance School, then attended Brookwood High School, where she graduated in 1957.
In 1955, Jean worked at Sam Jackson’s Emporium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 1956 she worked at Woolco, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. During her senior year in high school, she began working at G.C. Murphy, Alberta City, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She was a part of their accounting department until she married her teenage sweetheart, Charles Clayton Marchant, on May 23, 1959. During the first four years of their 64-year marriage four children were born. Jean dedicated her life to being a loving wife and mother. Clara Jean was her given name. Everyone that knew her called her Jean – with one exception – Charles, her beloved husband. He called her Clara. This was an endearment between them that only they understood. After rearing her children, she gained employment at Bibb Medical Center, Centreville, Alabama, in the dietary department. She worked there from 1979 to 2001. After 22 years of service, at the age of 62, she retired from Bibb Medical Center as the Head Dietary Cook.
In February of 1967, Jean was the first woman in the history of Bibb County, Alabama to serve on jury duty.
Jean was a steadfast Christian woman, loving, caring, thoughtful, giving, and selfless. She never met a stranger. When it came to family she cherished her children and put her family’s needs before her own. She always made time to be a Room Mother for all her children’s elementary school functions and cheered them on at whatever activities they were participating in. She loved watching Chuck play sports, beginning with the Little League baseball team in Vance, Alabama, all the way through baseball and football at West Blocton High School. It also gave her great joy watching Connie, Cheryl, and Carol play and march in the West Blocton Fighting Tiger Band.
Jean was a very creative and talented lady. She was a great seamstress and took pride in passing her knowledge on to her girls. She was an excellent cook and for many years was known for baking and decorating cakes and catering weddings. She enjoyed crocheting and spent many, many hours on the numerous afghans she created for her family. Jean enjoyed keeping up with her family and friends on Facebook, playing games, crossword puzzles, and word finds.
Jean is survived by her children: daughter, Connie Jean Marchant Carver and husband Donald F. Carver, Sr.; son, Charles Clayton Marchant II and wife Janet Louisa Goostree Marchant; daughter Cheryl Colleen Marchant Boyd and husband Timothy Lake Boyd, Sr.; daughter Carol Jo Marchant Bright. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law: Diane Reach and Jan Reach.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers, Jerry McCoy Reach and Johnny Duane Reach. Also preceding her in death was son-in-law, William Lacy Bright.
Grandchildren surviving Jean are: Donald Forrest Carver, Jr. and wife Samantha; Clayton Sherman Carver and wife Beth; Christopher Jay Carver and wife Taghan; Callie Jean Carver Sills and husband Gavin; Charles Clayton Marchant III; James Luke Marchant and wife Michaela Papania Marchant; Lalia Colleen Boyd Burke and husband Rudy; Laura Renee Boyd Clark and husband Dustin; Timothy Lake Boyd, Jr.; Leah Michele Boyd; Jared Nathanael Bright and wife Jenny.
Great-Grandchildren surviving Jean are: Maddox Carver, Anna Carver, Matthias Carver, Caleb Carver, Gabriel Carver, Sawyer Sills, Lily Burke, Theodore Clark, Thaddeus Clark, Thatcher Clark, Sophie Bright, Gracie Bright, Nolan Bright and Emorie Bright.
Pallbearers will be Jean’s grandsons: Charles Clayton Marchant III, James Luke Marchant, Donald Forrest Carver Jr., Clayton Sherman Carver, Christopher Jay Carver, Timothy Lake Boyd Jr., and Jared Nathanael Bright.
