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Doris Jean Clark (née Bray) left this Earth on May 3, 2023. A resident of Oklahoma City, Okla., she was born on July 26, 1932, near Hitchita in McIntosh County, Okla., to Claudius Julius and Ethel Leona Bray.
She leaves behind her loving, devoted husband and best friend, Allan Pinkston, with whom she shared fun and adventures over nearly 31 years of happy marriage. She is also survived by two sons, Douglas Clark (Mary) of Oklahoma City and Stephen Clark (Laura) of Brownsville, Texas, and a daughter, Kelly Tiefenbrun (Mike) of St. Louis, Mo. We all miss her so much.
Survivors also include grandchildren Douglas Clark Jr. and Kendra Clark of Oklahoma City, Katy Hagely (Jason) of Jefferson City, Mo., Ben Tiefenbrun of Salida, Colo., Matt Tiefenbrun (Eleanor) of Owensville, Mo., and Patrick Tiefenbrun (Loren) of St. Louis, Mo., not to mention numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her brothers, Marcus Bray, Julius Bray and Charles Bray, and a sister, Katy Rzonca, all of whom she adored.
Doris joined the Oklahoma County Medical Society in 1976 as an administrative assistant and in 1992 was named the organization’s executive director. As head, she was instrumental in founding the Open Arms Clinic (the first charity clinic in northwest Oklahoma City), the nonprofit Hospice of Oklahoma County (now Integris Hospice House), and the OCMS mini-internship program.
She also gathered vital information to present to the OCMS board in their process of creating the Oklahoma Blood Institute and the AMCARE (now EMSA) ambulance service. Doris’ dedication and leadership as executive director earned her the respect and affection of her OCMS colleagues and the many physicians for whom she advocated. She retired in 2003 after 26 years with the organization.
Retirement did not find her idle. Never content to be a mere spectator, she loved being part of the action, volunteering for many years at the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Fly-In & Convention in Wisconsin and the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival in Guthrie.
Doris enjoyed snow-skiing in Colorado, New Mexico and even Switzerland with her fellow members in the Oklahoma City Ski Club. She loved live music and was an enthusiastic supporter of Allan’s membership in the OK Choral, a barbershop chorus. She became a favorite of the chorus members and was known as “our cookie lady” for bringing homemade Neiman Marcus cookies to every Tuesday evening chorus practice.
Doris had a take-charge personality and a generous, forgiving heart, and did not shy away from hard decisions for the sake of her kids.
A self-described “sports freak,” Doris loved OKC Thunder basketball. She was merciless at ping-pong. Her white chicken chili and stuffed mushrooms were unmatched. Doris loved a good joke and how we miss her laugh. Nothing was more important to her than having the entire family together, and nothing made her smile more than a swimming pool full of grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the backyard.
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 24, at St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 222 NW 15th St., Oklahoma City, Okla.
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