Resident starts fund to help bury man’s companion

A Las Vegas woman has set up a fund to help a man who has been unable to afford a burial for his longtime companion, who was taken off life support at Valley Hospital.

Diana O'Connor set up the fund after reading the Dec. 14 Review-Journal account of Joe John Sorce, who did not have any say over the medical decision for his companion of 18 years, Mary Clark.

Because Nevada does not honor what Sorce said was a common-law marriage, an estranged daughter made the decision to end life support for Clark, who suffered a stroke Oct. 19.

"This is why people have to make living wills regarding their wishes for end-of-life situations for loved ones," O'Connor said.

"We have so many people in Las Vegas in the same situation," she said.

Clark's body remains at the Valley Funeral Home.

"I thought I could make payments, but you're not allowed to do that," Sorce said.

To see that Clark gets a funeral, O'Connor has opened a funeral fund at Bank of America. She began the fund with a $100 donation.

"If anybody wants to donate, all they have to do is reference the Mary W. Clark Funeral Fund at any Bank of America," bank spokeswoman Ido Williams said.