Clack Family

The Clack family photo from late 1930’s pictures the four siblings and their mother Adda Wood Clack.  The members in the picture are Ida, Robert, Adda Wood Clack and Celia and Nan.

Mary Ida “Ida” Clack was a remarkable Clear Lake woman who lived a life of service, education, and storytelling. The eldest of four children of Dr. William R. Clack and S. Adda (Wood) Clack, born in 1884, Ida graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1903 and attended Grinnell College.

Ida became a pioneer in Iowa’s dental profession, receiving License No. 1 as a dental hygienist in the state of Iowa. She returned to Clear Lake, where she assisted her father in his dental practice.

After her father retired, Ida began working at the Clear Lake Public Library in 1931. She became head librarian in 1940, a position that allowed her love of books and learning to flourish. During this time, she began a correspondence with author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Although the two women never met, they became devoted pen pals and continued writing to one another until Wilder’s death.

In retirement, Ida lived next door to her childhood home with her sister Nan. She never married but remained deeply connected to the Clear Lake community. She became especially beloved for her storytelling, entertaining and inspiring generations of local residents. Ida died in October 1974 at an age of 90.

Ida Clack’s legacy is one of accomplishment, intellect, community service, and friendship. From becoming Iowa’s first licensed dental hygienist to serving as a librarian and corresponding with Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ida lived an extraordinary life that left a lasting mark on Clear Lake history.

Edna Ann “Nan” Clack was a remarkable woman whose life was defined by service, independence, and dedication to her community. The third child of Dr. William R. Clack and S. Adda (Wood) Clack, born in 1888, Nan was a 1906 graduate of Clear Lake High School, where she played on the school’s first organized girls’ basketball team.

Nan became a registered nurse in 1914. During World War I, she proudly served with the U.S. Red Cross Nursing Corps and was stationed at Camp Pike, Arkansas, from 1917 to 1919. After the war, she returned to Iowa and devoted the remainder of her nursing career to caring for mothers, children, and the communities around her.

Her work included serving with the University of Iowa Infant and Maternity Hygiene Extension in Iowa City, as Cerro Gordo County’s public schools nurse, as Allamakee County’s public health nurse in Waukon, and ultimately as director of Mason City’s public school health service. She retired from nursing in June 1953.

Nan was also a trailblazer. She became the first female member of Clear Lake’s American Legion Post 222. Decades after her World War I service, she could still proudly fit into her WWI uniform—a wonderful testament to the pride she carried in her service.

Nan never married and devoted her life to nursing, public health, community service, and her hometown. Nan died in January 1981 at an age of 93.

Edna Ann “Nan” Clack left behind a legacy not only as a nurse and World War I veteran, but as a pioneering woman who served others with dedication and pride. Her story is one of courage, compassion, independence, and a lifelong commitment to her community.