Mariann Louise Clark

Mariann Clark spent the first third of her 64-year career at Iowa Methodist Medical Center nursing polio victims in iron lungs and assisting during Iowa’s first pediatric open-heart surgery in 1957. For the past four decades, she helped recruit key medical personnel and organized events for Iowa Health Systems. A self- described “worker bee,” it was not unusual for Mariann to be on the job from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Born January 23, 1929, in Marshalltown to Ohmer and Susie Seim, Mariann enjoyed reading her birthday and age in the Des Moines Register’s Biz Buzz Column.

Mariann graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1947 and the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in 1950. As a student nurse in 1948, she met Bob Clark, a patient in the orthopedic ward who had broken his collarbone while playing halfback on Drake University’s football team.

“Bob invited me out, but I didn’t go the first time,” she said. Nonetheless, they would end up marrying on June 5, 1951, and having three children: Deborah in 1953, Heidi in 1958 and Brian in 1961. Bob’s career as a lawyer took the family to Tulsa, Washington D.C. and Birmingham England during the 1960’s.

When they returned to Des Moines in 1968, Mariann resumed her nursing career in the emergency room at Methodist Hospital. A decade later David Ramsey, chief executive of Methodist’s parent company, Iowa Health Systems, asked Mariann to help recruit nurses, making her the first nurse recruiter in Iowa. Before long, she was also recruiting doctors and other medical technicians for the statewide hospital network now known as UnityPoint Health.

Mariann did everything from attending medical conferences where she helped identify prospective recruits to entertaining young doctors and their families during visits to Des Moines and helping them find housing and schools for their families.

She also arranged countless celebratory events each year, some of which included more than 200 attendees. Because of her work, Mariann was on a first name basis with the top chefs and events people at all of Des Moines’ leading private clubs.

When she retired in 2016, a plaque was placed outside her office in the Methodist Medical Complex reserving the space for her whenever she could stop by.

Mariann passed away on March 15, 2022 and was preceded in death by her parents, Ohmer and Susie Seim; and sisters, Shirley Boesen and Ella Lakin. She is survived by her husband, Robert Clark of West Des Moines; daughters, Deborah (Stanley) Stewart of Runnells, Iowa and Heidi (Bill) Owens of Ottumwa, Iowa; son, Brian Clark of Denver, Colorado; grandchildren, Sara (Tanner) Pump of Dallas, Texas, Meredith (Michael) Sly of Dallas Center, Iowa, Suzi Stewart of Des Moines, Iowa, Hannah (Braden) Everding of Waukee, Iowa, Christopher (Sarah) Stewart of Des Moines, Iowa, Caroline Owens of West Des Moines, Iowa; great-grandchildren, Nile, Nolan and Nathaniel Pump, Logan and Hadley Sly, and Oliver and Theodore Everding.

Services will be held Sunday, March 20, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa with visitation to follow until 6 p.m.

Memorial may be directed to Blank Children’s Hospital and condolences expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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