Obituary for Robert E. Clayton Sr.
Robert E. Clayton, Sr. was born the youngest of six children to Fanny (Bugbee) and Harvey Clayton on July 27th, 1925 in Quincy, MA. The family was very active in The Salvation Army which is where Bob learned to play the coronet. Due to the economic struggles faced during The Great Depression, the family moved many times throughout the South Shore area.
Bob followed in the footsteps of his older brother and best friend in life, John Clayton, enlisting in the US Navy at the age of 17 to serve during WWII. Trained by the US Marines, Bob served for 3 years with the Seabees while stationed in Guam.
At the time of his honorable discharge from the military, Bob returned home to resume his employment with HP Hood and Sons as a line mechanic and married his high school sweetheart, Flora Howard. The young couple had one daughter, Flora Roberta (“Bobbie”) before his wife’s tragic and sudden death in 1948. In the following years, Bob faced many hardships as a widowed father including acquiring and overcoming polio.
While working at HP Hood in Quincy, Bob met Helena Jane Loney. The couple was married 5/27/1956 and had their first child, Donna, while living in Braintree. Bob was promoted to garage supervisor in Worcester, and while living in Paxton, their second child, Robert E. Clayton, Jr. was born. The family then moved to N. Swansea, for 7 years due to a transfer to the Providence, RI branch. During that time, Bob was a volunteer firefighter for the town of Swansea and a pack leader while his son was a Cub Scout.
When Bob was promoted to a district transportation manager, it became necessary to move to Chelmsford in 1969 in order to cover his vast territory. Due to corporate restructuring, Bob left HP Hood and worked for Woburn Truck Parts until his semiretirement. He worked for Hannaford supermarket, the Chelmsford Senior Center and then volunteered as a Meals on Wheels driver until the age of 80. Thereafter, he cared for Jane as her health deteriorated until her death in 2016.
Bob will be remembered as an attentive listener with an infectious smile; as a determined, hardworking and independent but gentle man; as an American patriot and a devoted father and grandfather. “Pa” will be missed by his 8 grandchildren and his 6 greatgrandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. His final resting place will be in Derry, NH alongside his wife and his son who predeceased him in 1995.
Many thanks to those many clinicians who provided comfort, respect, and dignity in Bob’s final years but in particular Dr. Jorge Gonzalez of Chelmsford Primary Care.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, February 24th from 4pm to 7pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. Interment will be held in the spring. Please check back for details. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a Veteran’s organization of your choice.
Bob followed in the footsteps of his older brother and best friend in life, John Clayton, enlisting in the US Navy at the age of 17 to serve during WWII. Trained by the US Marines, Bob served for 3 years with the Seabees while stationed in Guam.
At the time of his honorable discharge from the military, Bob returned home to resume his employment with HP Hood and Sons as a line mechanic and married his high school sweetheart, Flora Howard. The young couple had one daughter, Flora Roberta (“Bobbie”) before his wife’s tragic and sudden death in 1948. In the following years, Bob faced many hardships as a widowed father including acquiring and overcoming polio.
While working at HP Hood in Quincy, Bob met Helena Jane Loney. The couple was married 5/27/1956 and had their first child, Donna, while living in Braintree. Bob was promoted to garage supervisor in Worcester, and while living in Paxton, their second child, Robert E. Clayton, Jr. was born. The family then moved to N. Swansea, for 7 years due to a transfer to the Providence, RI branch. During that time, Bob was a volunteer firefighter for the town of Swansea and a pack leader while his son was a Cub Scout.
When Bob was promoted to a district transportation manager, it became necessary to move to Chelmsford in 1969 in order to cover his vast territory. Due to corporate restructuring, Bob left HP Hood and worked for Woburn Truck Parts until his semiretirement. He worked for Hannaford supermarket, the Chelmsford Senior Center and then volunteered as a Meals on Wheels driver until the age of 80. Thereafter, he cared for Jane as her health deteriorated until her death in 2016.
Bob will be remembered as an attentive listener with an infectious smile; as a determined, hardworking and independent but gentle man; as an American patriot and a devoted father and grandfather. “Pa” will be missed by his 8 grandchildren and his 6 greatgrandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. His final resting place will be in Derry, NH alongside his wife and his son who predeceased him in 1995.
Many thanks to those many clinicians who provided comfort, respect, and dignity in Bob’s final years but in particular Dr. Jorge Gonzalez of Chelmsford Primary Care.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, February 24th from 4pm to 7pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. Interment will be held in the spring. Please check back for details. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a Veteran’s organization of your choice.