Jerry H Clayton

Jerry H Clayton passed away on August 26, 2023. Jerry was an avid gardener and home craftsman, and he studied history and political science.   Jerry completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history and loved reading – particularly non-fiction books about the U.S. Civil War, WWI, and WW II.   As a hobby, Jerry taught history at the college and community college levels.
At 17 years of age, Jerry and his wife of 68 years Doris left Rockwood in 1955 having dropped out of Rockwood High School and eloped.   Jerry convinced an Air Force recruiter in GA that he was 18 and the adventure began.   The Air Force journey began with basic training in TX and included stops in CO, Iowa, NM, Washington and Florida.   Jerry exited his military career in 1963 and settled on the Central Coast of CA where he and Doris stayed 17 years and raised their four boys.   
In 1980, Jerry joined Perini International Construction and accepted a role in the Negev desert of Israel.     After returning from Israel, Jerry and Doris lived in Boston, MA, Redlands, CA, and Birmingham, AL, prior to returning to Rockwood for retirement in 1996, where they lived at 320 Douglas Ave until 2020.  
Jerry and Doris left their beloved Rockwood home in 2020 to be close to family in the Boise ID area for their final years.   The Jerry and Doris adventure came to a peaceful close in 2023 with Doris passing in January followed by Jerry’s in August.  

He is preceded in death by by his parents: Cayce Clayton & Florence (Busy) Clayton; spouse: Doris Ann (Nelson) Clayton; child: Jerry Steven Clayton. He is survived by:

Children: Gregory Clayton of Star, Idaho wife Charlene Clayton
                Ken Clayton of Lexington, MA – wife Tomi Clayton
                 Matthew Scott Clayton of Ft. Wayne Indiana
Grandchildren:  Crystal Smith, Fallbrook CA - husband Dane Smith
        Brittany Hurst – Atascadero, CA - husband Cody Hurst
        Cayce Clayton – Los Angeles, CA
        Zach Clayton – Boulder, CO - wife Marissa Torres Clayton
        Kevin Clayton – Lexington, MA
        Cassidy Clayton – Lexington, MA
        Christie Larson – Belmont, MA (husband - Tim Larson)
        Ashley Jones - Indianapolis, IN (husband Matthew Jones)
        Amanda Clayton – Regina, Saskatchewan Canada
        Alyssa Bailey – Indianapolis, IN (husband - Patrick Bailey)
And 8 great-grandchildren.

Siblings: Myrna Johns (Larry Johns), Mary Thomsen, Kenneth Clayton (Wife - Joy Clayton)

A celebration of life service will be held on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 10:00 am ET at their old homeplace, the intersection of N  Chamberlain Ave and Wheeler St in Rockwood, TN 37854. A meal will follow with the graveside service taking plat at 1:30 pm ET in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Rockwood. Evans Mortuary is serving the Clayton family.