Clara Johnson Scroggins is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on collecting Christmas ornaments and acknowledged to have the most extensive collection of Christmas ornaments in the United States. This recognition came with a journey of life’s triumphs and tribulations that Clara endured as the strong and resilient daughter of sharecroppers, who reinforced the benefits of life-long learning, including the pursuit of education - whether trades or university. Clara’s true love was writing, history and art. She had a unique gift of storytelling and “persuasive argument” that was unmatched. She often suggested that these qualities were derived from debates around the dinner table with her 8 siblings, whereby dad brought ‘current events’ every evening and mom served as the facilitator. These gifts allowed her to pursue journalism in her studies at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. She became a Broadcast Journalist, Editor, Author, and dabbled in Art & Fashion Modeling at a young age. Clara’s joy for publication blossomed and her excitement for the hunt of information for the story only groomed her future title as “Queen of Christmas”. Clara’s passion for ornaments originated as a result of the unexpected and sudden death of her then-husband from a cerebral hemorrhage a few weeks before Christmas. She recounted that she "needed something to really consume me, to help me." In a jewelry store she purchased a second edition Reed and Barton silver Christmas cross and started researching how to obtain a first edition one. By the following year, she had amassed nearly 1,000 silver and silver-plated ornaments from past years and editions. During this grievance period, ornament collecting became a hobby and her gift of writing and love of history became the “perfect storm” of well traveled journeys, including having it “Clara’s Way”! She never met a stranger, but grew ever more distant from family during her travels. Clara lived a joyous and happy lifestyle in the manner she chose. Through meetings with secondary market dealers and other collector’s, she learned about ornament values and eventually documented ornament history with Hallmark, Krause Publications, and other book and magazine editorial features. She focused her writing on ornaments from Hallmark Cards because they were the most popular at the time. In 1973, Hallmark Cards started manufacturing Christmas ornaments. The first collection of 18 ornaments, including six glass ball ornaments. Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments are dated and available for just one year. In 1996, the ornament industry generated $2.4 billion in total annual sales, an increase of 25% over the previous year. Industry experts estimated more than 22 million US households collected Christmas ornaments, and that 75% of those households collected Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments. By 1998, 11 million American households collected Hallmark ornaments, and 250,000 people were members of the Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club. There were as many as 400 local Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club chapters in the United States. Clara was instrumental in influencing Hallmark Cards to introduce African American-themed ornaments, including its first Black Christmas ornament, "Cheerful Santa" in 1992. She also wrote an ornament column for Collector's Mart - The Magazine of Art Collectibles. While a tragic event helped to inform her passion, she was quite “bossy” and thus, leveraged those leadership skills very effectively at an early age. The Fairfield County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated started in 1975 as a service group called “The Associates”. It was important that any group that desired to become a chapter of The Links, Inc., demonstrate their alignment with the goals of the national organization by doing significant community and civic oriented work. As a long time resident of Stamford, Connecticut, she had established a relationship with the Eastern Area Director of The Links, Inc., who had expressed an interest in forming a Links Chapter in Fairfield County some years before 1974. However, at the time, there were not enough women that she knew in the area that shared The Links vision. In July of 1974, Clara heard through mutual friends, that Velmarie Davis and family were moving to Stamford. Although the two had never met, previously, they did meet and a fast friendship developed. A short time later, Velmarie moved to Stamford. In this same timeframe, a large group of African Americans in the corporate community moved into Fairfield County, Connecticut and friendships amongst the families blossomed. Clara and Velmarie contacted all the possible candidates they knew and invited them to join “The Associates”, a volunteer group that would perform community service. A year later the group had fulfilled all the criteria for the establishment of a Links Chapter, which happened in spring 1976. Clara had big dreams and a big heart. When interviewed by the Los Angeles times, she said, “They tell me I’m a natural Christmas lover.” “I was born on New Year’s Day. I came from a family of nine children. Everything was done big at my house, so I always thought in terms of big, having lots. I have never been able to outgrow that.” On Thursday, December 19, 2019, Clara Johnson Scroggins, 88, passed away, following complications of acute onset dementia. She was born January 1, 1931, to the union of the late Hughey Columbus Johnson and Estelle Beatrice Cartwright, in Lake Village Arkansas. In addition to this union were 8 siblings, including: Frenchie, Hughey Jr., Charles, Herxia, Maybelline, June and Vickie, who preceded her in death and one surviving sister, Freddie Rose Johnson of Saginaw, Michigan. She had one son, Michael Wayne Watkins, who preceded her in death in 2015. She was married for many years to the honorable Joe Scroggins, Jr, who preceded her in death in 2008. Other surviving family include, three grandchildren, Michelle Hoskins (Bill) of Naperville, Illinois, Alex and Chaise Watkins of Jacksonville, Florida, and two great grandchildren, Micaela Wilbourn and Caleb Hoskins of Naperville, Illinois; a daughter in law, Kathy Watkins, of Jacksonville, Florida and a beloved god-son, Brandon Lee, of Orlando, Florida. She also leaves behind many friends who loved and admired her dearly including, Arthur & Delores Lee, of Orlando, Florida, who spent almost every Christmas with Clara and Joe, regardless of location; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, “The Links Sisters” and “collector friends” across the globe. She was a “trailblazer” for women in general but, particularly African American women, who could now see themselves in non-traditional roles. A Celebration of Life will be held, Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 10 a.m. EST at Grace Episcopal Church, 15102 Amberly Drive, Tampa, Florida, 33647. To honor Clara J. Scroggins’ legacy, and support ongoing research to help families provide care and support their loved ones, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090 or you may call 1-800-272-3900. https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate