Clara Mae Blueford, 83 of Long Branch, NJ entered eternal rest on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ. Clara was born in Tulot, Arkansas on August 28, 1938 to Minnie Lee Boston and Donzell Johnson.
In 1965 Clara uprooted her family from California migrating to New Jersey. She worked as a bartender for the NCO Club & Gibbs Hall on Fort Monmouth for over 50 years. Clara found love when she met a veteran named Willie Jenkins. She and Jenkins would later raise their kids and stay together for years to come.
After retiring she would often attend outings with her friends from work as they considered themselves “The Sunshine Club.” Clara thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors, attending cookouts with her children and her grandchildren. One of her favorite things to do was to take trips to the Atlantic City casinos with her best friend Elsie O’Neal.
Clara was a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
She is predeceased by her eldest daughter Cynthia Blueford, her mother Minnie Lee Boston, her father Donzell Johnson and her siblings Author Johnson, Virginia Staten, Larry, Louis and Ivory Dismuke.
She leaves to cherish her memory 4 children: her one and only son Myron Blueford of Bound Brook, NJ, Teshara (Donald) Evans of Long Branch, NJ, Lannette Blueford of Long Branch, Chanta Blueford of Long Branch; her siblings Margaret Dismuke of Long Branch, NJ and Elihue Johnson; sister-in-law Shirley Davenport of Long Branch, NJ. She also leaves behind 16 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews who she loved dearly along with a lifetime of friends.
My condolences to the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, her siblings, and nieces and nephews. She was a wonderful woman. Her love and joy for life and her family showed whenever she was around. You will be truly missed and never forgotten. I love you ❤️