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NOVEMBER 2018 | Vol. 23 | Issue 11 | Mail Run: 8,401 | Total Print Run: 11,500

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Thu r m on t ’ s Mo th e r C l a r k e

A S al u te to On e Wh o Lo ved Veter an s

Joan Bittner Fry Courtesy Photo

Few people in the history of Frederick County, were so many military convoys traveling the highway that
Maryland, can claim to have been a mother to guards were needed. This simple act of kindness on their
thousands, yet Ambrosia Elizabeth “Rose” Derwart part began a lifetime of devotion to Veterans and, eventually,
Clarke (who shall be called Rose) could. She was born earned Rose the title of “Mother Clarke” to thousands.
in south Baltimore on August 4, 1895. Her father In 1942, Rose was the first woman in Frederick County
owned and operated a saloon and the convenience to give blood for the war effort. When she signed up for
store next door on Hull Street. If she were alive today, the first donation, the newspaper noted that a woman from
she would be doing one of two things: donating blood Thurmont, who had given birth to twenty-four children,
or visiting sick and wounded service members in was to donate blood and wished to remain anonymous. At
hospitals. age sixty, her doctor ordered her to stop giving blood; but,
It isn’t certain why she became so devoted by that time, she had given fifty-one pints, a pint every two
to servicemen, but the fact that her father’s two months from 1942 to 1955. Also, in 1942, she began to visit
businesses catered to the sailors docked in Baltimore wounded servicemen in three military hospitals. She once
may have had some influence. On Christmas Day said, “Arthritis hasn’t stopped me. If God lets something
1916, she married Charles H. “Jerry” Clarke, Sr., a happen to my feet, I still have my hands.” At age eighty-six,
route driver for Rice’s Bakery. Rose and Jerry met on she said, “As long as God gives me health and strength, I’ll
an excursion boat named “LOUISE” in Tolchester, continue my work.”
Maryland. A painting of “LOUISE” later hung on a For twenty years, she never had time to leave her
wall in the front living room of their home. hometown. In fact, she had never left her native state of
After their marriage, Rose often accompanied her Maryland. So, in 1947, The Thurmont Lions’ Club thought
husband on his daily rounds from Baltimore, which it was time for Mother Clarke to take a breather, and they
included Northern Frederick County. The young couple provided a trip to California for her.
later chose to make Thurmont their home. Rose gave Jerry died in 1954, and although Rose was deeply grieved,
birth to twenty-four children, twelve of whom lived. she turned more and more of her energy towards the comfort
As the years passed, Jerry bought a candy store across Rose and Jerry Clarke. of Veterans. When she was hospitalized in 1966 for surgery
from O’Toole’s Garage on the Old Emmitsburg Road on an arthritic knee, she remarked, “When they would take
(at that time) and quit his job at Rice’s. The store was me for physical therapy, there would be hundreds of our boys
turned into a beer saloon and sandwich shop. Jerry bought additional land and trying so hard to get used to their artificial arms and legs; oh, how my heart
a seventeen-room, three-story house (Altamont and 550) up the road from the ached for them. That’s why we must keep their morale up, make their hospital
restaurant-beer saloon. Eventually, the entire saloon was completely transported stay a little more cheerful, and show them we won’t forget them.”
up the main thoroughfare of U.S. 15 (now 550) to where Mountain Jerry’s came She was a friend to all servicemen, and during the war won their respect and
to permanently be (Liberty Gas Station is there now.). admiration for the many little favors she did for them. Her home was a “home
One would think that raising twelve children and helping a husband run a away from home” for the servicemen, contributing much to their morale.
business would be exhausting, but not for Rose. Her desire to help others was When the war ended, she continued this service, begging and borrowing to
boundless. At the beginning of WWII, Rose and Jerry made sandwiches daily carry on this personal service for her “boys in uniform.”
and took them to the soldiers who stood picket duty along the road. There She made frequent visits to numerous hospitals and sought small gifts
from retailers in both Frederick and Baltimore for “her boys.” Military
leaders at every medical facility in Maryland wrote to thank her, and she
was a guest on several national television programs, soliciting gifts that she
… Story continued on page 17
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