Obituary of Melinda Stephanie Clark

Melinda Stephanie Clark, 46, of Howell lost her battle with cancer on Saturday, August 19, 2023.  After being told she only had months to live, she committed herself to grueling treatments to live for her children and her family.  This she did with uncommon bravery and resolve for nearly five years after she was diagnosed.  She passed knowing that her family and friends loved her deeply.

Melinda was born in New York City and raised in Queens.  She graduated from Rutgers University in 2000 with a dual degree in art history and anthropology and attended Montclair University obtaining a master’s degree in early childhood education in 2005. Melinda and her husband Ryan fell in love when they met at Rutgers University, and eight years later their marriage of 17 years began. Before staying home to raise her children, Melinda was a light for many pre-school children when she worked as a head pre-school teacher in Newark and East Orange New Jersey and in New York City.  Melinda poured all of herself into her greatest treasures, her daughters, Ashley and Olivia.  Melinda had a passion for traveling and embarked on numerous adventures around the world with her family, creating beautiful memories along the way.

Melinda is survived by her husband and daughters, Ryan Clark and Ashley and Olivia Clark of Howell; parents, Stefan and Diane Swendrak of Marlboro; sister, Jennifer Kelly and her husband Brian; the matriarch of her family her grandmother, Natalie Paszek; In-laws, Charles and Yvonne Clark of Freehold, Bethann Miller and her husband, Ken, Charles Clark and his wife, Susan, Shawn Clark and his wife, Anna and  Christopher Clark; nieces and nephews, Meghan, Rebecca, Jack, Lindsay, Cailin, Matthew and Sean; aunts, Elizabeth Jackowski and Irene Calabrese; cousins, Annette Rasmussen, Michelle Davis, Yvonne Semenetz and Renee Smith and Brian Calabrese. 

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Thursday, August 24, 2023, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 11:00 AM funeral mass at St. Gabriels Chapel, 549 County Road 520, Marlboro, NJ 07746 on Friday, August 25, 2023. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Melinda’s name to her GoFundMe by clicking HERE .For information, directions, or to leave condolence messages to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com