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Grandparents pitch in

Mar-19-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

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MATT MISTEREK; The News Tribune

Fred and Nelda Clark aren't married anymore, but for at least 12 months they are a team again, caring for their three young grandchildren whose mom and dad are off fighting a war as part of Fort Lewis' Stryker brigade.

Fred Clark has the easy job: a front-door dinner delivered each Wednesday, and occasional Friday night sleepovers at his house in Puyallup.

"For a year, I'm going to load them up with candy, ice cream, cookies, etc. I don't want them to have any needs while their parents are gone," said Fred, who works in information technology at Weyerhaeuser.

Nelda Clark has the children - 5-year-old Caleb, 7-year-old Josh and 8-year Mercedes - all week long. She moved into the young family's duplex on base in November to minimize the disruption to the kids while their parents, Staff Sgt. Dale Clark and Spc. Phillip Griffith, are deployed in northern Iraq.

Her job is to keep them fed, bathed, disciplined and ready for each day. She takes them to child care at 7 a.m. and picks them up at 6 p.m.

"That makes it so I am able to take care of them. I would just be worn to a stub otherwise," she said.


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