Clark, Toni, 1915-2006

Socialite and philanthropist Toni Clark was born Lena Gaglionese on April 4, 1915 in Seattle, Washington to Angeline and Salvatore Gaglionese. She moved to San Diego in 1941, where she met Wilbur Clark. The couple relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1944 and got married in Reno, Nevada on August 2, 1944.

Toni Clark contributed to the social aspects of the Desert Inn by entertaining guests, planning parties, and hosting fashion shows at the resort. After Wilbur’s death in 1965, Toni remained an active member of Las Vegas society. She later married longtime friend Larry Finuf, who ran a clothing shop inside the Desert Inn. Toni Clark lived in Las Vegas, Nevada until her death on October 4, 2006.

Sources:

“Toni Clark.” Women in Nevada History. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://womennvhistory.org/portfolio/toni-clark/

Toni Clark oral history interview, 1996 July 02. OH-02781. Transcript. Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f1w128