Long Beach resident Cherie Clark has been all over the world. Clark was born in LaPorte, Indiana, where she lived until 1964, before moving to Missouri, where she resided for thirteen years. Clark’s next big move came just after she had gotten married, when she and her husband were deployed to Millington, Tennessee. There she resided for two years, before her next military move.
“We enjoyed living in Millington, because it was close to our hometown,” said Clark. “When we moved there, my son was just a few months old, so much of my time was spent taking care of him. One of our memorable experiences while living there was the Blue Angels visit. They practiced flying down our street!”
After her stay in Tennessee, Clark and her family were sent to Sigonella, Sicily.
“Sicily was a beautiful island. The center of it is an active volcano, Mount Etna,” recalls Clark. “We did have to make some adjustments, though. For example, when it rained, the lights and water would stop and stay off until the rain stopped. It was not like living in the U.S., but I loved being there. The Sicilian people loved Americans and were very kind to us.”
After three years in Sicily, Clark relocated to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, where she lived on the military base, with access to several beaches. She studied aquatic life and developed a love for snorkeling.
“Snorkeling was a daily thing our first year,” she said. “I loved seeing the beautiful fish and coral. The people there were also friendly and had some good cooking recipes to share.”
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was Clark’s next military move, and this move was a bit of a culture shock for her and her family.
“The culture was not like the last two places we had been. That was an adjustment at first, but we did okay.”
However, the experiences of the city did not disappoint.
“Philly was a big city, with lots of things to see and do,” Clark notes. “We saw the Liberty Bell and Betsy Ross’ house; and, since Philly is one of the oldest cities in the U.S., we admired the architecture and history of all the old buildings. I enjoyed Philadelphia and the things it had to offer.”
Clark’s final move was to Long Beach, Mississippi, in 1992. She and her family had decided to make Long Beach their permanent home, and they quickly found their ideal house.
Clark transferred to Stennis with the Navy, where she worked as a retirement counselor, preparing retirement estimates and benefit information for employees. In 2006, she transferred from the Navy to work directly for NASA at Stennis.
“I was blessed to set up retirement and benefit procedures for all the NASA centers, and I was able to visit each and every center to discuss these procedures with the employees.” Clark said. In December of 2014, after twenty-nine years of federal service, she decided to retire.
Clark has now been a resident of Long Beach for thirty-two years, and she enjoys spending her free time as a retiree with her son, Robert, and daughter, Melanie, along with her two grandsons, Thomas and Michael. Clark is also a devout Christian, and she says she enjoys being part of a church family in Long Beach.
Q. What do you love about Long Beach?
A: “There’s sunshine almost every day, and I love the small-town atmosphere. The people are friendly, and they show their love for Jesus.”
Q. Do you have any pets?
A: We have two dogs, a Boston Terrier and a Lab/Cocker spaniel rescue.”
Q: How do you like to spend your free time?
A. “I like to visit new places. I enjoy eating out and talking with my friends, and I love to give to others when I can. God has been so good to me, and I look for ways that I can be a blessing each day.”
