Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

James M. Clayton, Sr., 96, of Edgewater passed away on February 12 at his home surrounded by his loving family.
 
Jim was born on November 27, 1916 in St. Louis, MO, the only child of James Marquis and Helen Winget Clayton. Upon becoming an orphan at the age of 4, he was raised by Joseph and Ludie Davidson Herring. He graduated from high school in St. Charles, MO in 1934 and attended the University of Missouri and George Washington University and received a L.L.B. degree in law from Columbus University and was admitted to the bar to practice law in Washington, D.C. in 1942. For 12 years, beginning in 1939, he was a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and then became the Assistant Plant Protection Manager of Hayes Aircraft Corporation at the corporate level. Later he was Chief of Industrial Security in the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Defense. He developed the first DOD directive and manual on automatic data processing systems security requirements and assisted in the development of the DOD Computer Institute's Computer System Security Training Program for the Department of Defense. He retired in 1975 and spent more years in retirement that he worked.
 
He received the meritorious service award and commendation, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in 1974 and the Meritorious Civilian Service award and medal, Secretary of Defense in 1975. He was a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and the American Society for Industrial Security.
 
He lived in St. Margarets for 17 years, then Ocean City for 25 years and finally Edgewater for the last 12 years. He could hardly wait every winter to go south to Bradenton, FL and later Stuart, FL to escape the cold months. He especially loved the Florida Keys and his little hide-away at Breezy Palms in Islamorada.
 
His hobby was his family, his four boys and their wives and his six grandchildren. He especially loved the beach ("Any Beach") and boating and fishing/crabbing. He loved to travel and made several lengthy travel trailer trips across the United States and to New England to see as much of the country as he could.
 
He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Marjorie Duckett Clayton; his children, James M. Clayton, Jr. and his wife, Andrea of Severna Park, Randall S. Clayton and his wife, Elba of Key West, FL, Larry D. Clayton and his wife, Sherry of Edgewater and David H. Clayton and his wife, Barbara of Severna Park; his grandchildren, Marcy and her husband, Tom Rickloff, Amy and her husband, Gregg Speed, Laurie and husband, Jeff Powell, Brooke Clayton, Evan Clayton and Lindsay Clayton; and he especially looked forward to his 2:00 visit from his "Jumpin' Jack" Natalie.
 
The family will receive visitors at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater on Sunday, February 17 from 11:30am until time of funeral service at 1pm. A private interment will be held at Lakemont Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to you favorite charity.

James Clayton

James Clayton

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