<Tr> <Th> Spouse (s) </Th> <Td> Claude James Witherell </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Parent (s) </Th> <Td> John W. Summers Jennie Summers </Td> </Tr> <P> Sarah Hope Summers (June 7, 1896--June 22, 1979), better known as Hope Summers, was an American character actress known for her work on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD, portraying Clara Edwards . </P> <P> Hope Summers was born in Mattoon, Illinois, the daughter of U.S. Representative John W. Summers and Jennie (née Burks). She was reared in Illinois and later in Walla Walla, Washington . She graduated from Northwestern School of Speech at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and taught speech and diction there . From here, she became the head of the Speech Department at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois . </P>

Who played clara on the andy griffith show