Clara Jo Ramona Griffith died March 29, 2013, in Federal Way, Wash. She was born to John and Lydia (Hieb) Walth in Hosmer, S.D., on November 10, 1917, the oldest of eight children. She grew up near Eureka, S.D., and Deer Park, Wash., before graduating from Eastern Washington College of Education (currently Eastern Washington University) in 1942. Her teaching career began in Amboy, Wash., in 1943. There she met her husband, Roy Griffith. They married in May 1944.

Clara taught in other Washington cities, including Battleground, Olympia and Auburn, where she in 1965 founded Olympic Day Care Center, one of Washington’s first licensed day care facilities. By 1977, her day-care center had grown to more than 150 children. She was active in Soroptimist, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, Messiah Lutheran Church in Auburn, and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Federal Way, Wash.

Her husband Roy died in 2000. She is survived by two brothers, Conrad Walth (Megan) of Tigard, Ore., and Roger Walth (Iness) of Liberty Lake, Wash; two sons, Terry (Sandy) of West Linn, Ore., and Tim (Kirsten Murray) of Seattle; and four grandchildren.

Clara Jo’s life was an inspiration and she is dearly missed by friends and family.

Her life will be celebrated at a memorial service at noon on Saturday, April 27, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 515 S 312th St., Federal Way.

Remembrances can be made to Lutheran Women’s Missionary League at http://lwml.org/donate/