Marcia R. Clawson

Marcia R. Clawson died March 29, 2008, after a battle with cancer.

She spent most of her life in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Richmond, Va., where she was a dedicated member of many organizations and the winner of several illustrious awards.

An Honorary Regent of the William Byrd Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Richmond, Mrs. Clawson received first place for Outstanding Service by an Individual in the 2007 National DAR Literacy Challenge for her work with veterans at McGuire Hospital in Richmond. Under her guidance as chairman of several committees the chapter also received numerous other awards for its volunteer work and its programs, many written by Mrs. Clawson.

In 2004 she was one of the recipients of the National DAR Evelyn Cole Peters Award for Literature and Drama for her one-woman play, "Hats Off to Me," which she performed for various organizations.

An alumna of Indiana University, where she was an initiate of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, she also was a member of Ikebana of Richmond, the Crown Grant Garden Club, and the Red Hat Society.

She was known for her support of the American Indians, especially the Pamunkey Tribe. As an honorary member of the Intertribal Women's Circle, she marched by invitation in the Grand Opening Procession of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., in 2004.

In Winston-Salem she was a member of the city's Radio and Television Council, for which she wrote historical dramas for public radio. Her short stories won first place state awards in American Association of University Women competitions. Her humor articles were published in several magazines and, early in her career, she wrote feature articles for the Appleton Post-Crescent in Wisconsin.

Mrs. Clawson was the wife of Jerry Clawson of Richmond, and the mother of Stacia Kaye Clawson-Hogan of Spartanburg, S.C., and mother-in-law of John Hogan. Other survivors are her brothers, James P. Rimstidt Sr. and wife, Sherry, of Grafton, Ohio, and David L. Rimstidt and wife, Susan Williams, of Indianapolis; sister-in-law, Nancy Gregory and husband, Merle, of Woodlawn, Tenn.; a niece, six nephews, two grandnephews; and four grandnieces.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. April 3 at the West Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 11020 W. Broad St., Glen Allen, Va. Private burial will be held at Westhampton Memorial Park.