Clara Granger

Clara Beatrice Granger

1927 – 2023

Clara Beatrice (DeSalvo) Granger, age 96, resident of Edmond, OK, died October 21, 2023, in Oklahoma City, OK.  Born May 4, 1927, in Center Ridge, AR, to Tony L. and Josephine M. (Rossi) DeSalvo. Upon the death of her mother, she was raised by her stepmother Frances Paladino DeSalvo.  Clara has been an Oklahoma resident since 1954.

Clara’s young life was one of great joy working on the farm.  As only a toddler, her brother Gus awakened her early each morning to help carry the empty buckets to the milk barn, so she could begin her day with her brothers and sisters.  As a product of the faithful environment of her upbringing, Clara firmly believed, congruent with the rule of St Benedict, that the Grace of God dwells within the honest work of all men. “Ora et Labora” (pray and work).  In accordance with this ethos, Clara approached all efforts in her life filled with God’s Holy Spirit, treating each chore as God’s holy work. 

Clara took great pride as a pre-teen in taking on the duty of plowing a two-mule team, a small set of mules, old Slim and Pet.  Despite being right-handed, she preferred to plow left-handed, so as soon as her father Tony left from the worksite, she reconfigured her team to her liking.  She aspired to one day plow the biggest team, Rollie and Jake, as they were considered a great challenge and dangerous, having once dragged her brother Hank down the hill and through the creek.        

The challenges of farm life brought excitement each day.   As told to her granddaughter Laura Granger –

THE GREAT CHASE

Clara started toward the two-story log barn that her father had built.  With every step she took, fear raced through her like a speeding bullet.

Clara’s sister, Emma, had gone to school and forgotten to do her chores.  One of her chores was to let the bull into the pasture.  Clara’s father told her to go to finish up Emma’s chores.

       As she approached the barn, she could see the fierce animal.  It was big and black with a stainless-steel nose ring.  Clara could already hear the strong, loud breathing, inhaling, and exhaling.

       She placed her hand on the door and slowly opened it.  Clara looked the bull in the eye and saw a sudden twitch.  All of a sudden, the bull started moving toward her!  She started walking backwards.  The speed of the animal increased until it turned into a run.  Clara was screaming and running as fast as she could, trying to find somewhere to hide.

       Eventually she climbed the ladder to the barn and pulled herself up to the second story.  Clara sat there watching the bull below.  It looked strong and brave.  About thirty minutes later the animal finally walked away.

       She slowly and quietly crept down the ladder and started toward the gate to the pasture.  She pulled the latch up and opened it.

       Then Clara turned around and saw the bull, but it didn’t charge!  It started walking towards her, so she immediately ran back up to the second story of the barn.  Clara saw the animal look at the pasture and then look back at her.  He warily walked into the pasture.

       A couple of minutes later she got down from the barn and ran over to the gate.  She slammed it shut and latched it.  From that day Clara never got near a bull again.   

To Clara’s delight and the delight of her family, as a teenager she was accepted as a novice at St. Scholastica Convent, OSB (Order of St. Benedict) in Ft. Smith, AR, where she finished high school.  There, she took the name “Antoinette” symbolizing the new life she had entered in to.  Before taking final vows in the late 1940’s Clara left the convent and joined her sister Virginia (Ginger) in Little Rock.  They lived and worked together in their uncle’s restaurant. Here in Little Rock, she met her husband to be.  Shortly, in 1952, Clara followed Ginger to the San Francisco Bay Area.  Clara married Arvel A. Granger upon his discharge from the Navy in January 1953 in San Francisco and they moved to Oklahoma City the next year. 

Clara worked in many positions in California and Oklahoma including in banking, personal finance and as a meat wrapper.  These secular jobs were transitory, as her most important vocation was her service to God and family as a homemaker and spiritual anchor to all she knew and loved.  Clara served her community in many ways.  At St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond she was co-director of religious education and sang in the choir.  She was a longtime member of the board of trustees of the Edmond Amateur Radio Society and held Amateur Extra Class radio license KG5UG.

Clara was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 30 years Arvel A. Granger; Daughter, Deborah Catherine Granger Christensen; her brothers Augustine DeSalvo, Father Raphael DeSalvo, OSB, Michael DeSalvo, Henry DeSalvo, Abraham DeSalvo, and Brother Tobias DeSalvo, OSB; her sisters Emma DeSalvo Petty, Virginia DeSalvo Lambert and Sister Marie Rose DeSalvo, OSB.

Survivors include her son, Edward  W. Granger (Brenda) of Edmond; daughter-in-law and loving caregiver (her angel) Brenda A. Granger; son-in law, Martin E Christensen III; grandsons Kyle W. Granger (Jennifer) of Edmond and Martin E. Christensen IV (Elene) of Dublin, OH; granddaughters Kari A. Hoffhines (Aran), Laura M. Ward (Kevin) and Katelyn C. Granger, all of Edmond; great grand-daughters Ella M. Granger, Aspen D. Hoffhines and Margot M. Ward; great grand-sons Owen A. Granger, Martin Carter Christensen, Caden L. Hoffhines and Asher R. Ward.  Clara also is survived by her sisters Patricia Hart and Margaret Hart of Springfield, AR; Christina Koch, Angela Malik, and Delores Hartman of Morrilton, AR; Antonette Hall of Greenbrier, AR; Beatrice Miller of Center Ridge, AR; her brothers Thomas DeSalvo and Tony J. DeSalvo of Center Ridge, AR, and numerous  nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

In lieu of flowers, memorial expressions may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 343 Catholic Point Road, Center Ridge, AR 72027.

Visitation will take place from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday,  October 26, 2023 at Matthews Funeral Home. Family will be present to greet friends from 5:30 – 7:30. Rosary services will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Services will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, October 27, 2023 at St. Johns the Baptist Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Gracelawn Cemetery.