Thelma E. Clayton

Thelma Elizabeth Clayton was born in Franklin County, North Carolina on May 17, 1932. She was raised on a farm and was the third child of six children born to Mable Wilson Alston and Joseph Benjamin Alston who has preceded her in death. She had one sister Josephine Kearney; one brother Joe Ben Alston and her granddaughter Sharice Jones who has preceded her in death.

She graduated high school in 1950. From there she went to Madame DeShazor’s Beauty College. After graduating she decided to move to live with her big sister Celester in the “Nations Capital” Washington DC where she worked as a beautician and soon after met the Love of her Life, Her “Santa Claus” Staff Sgt. Samuel Clayton, he was in the Air Force at the time. It was a whirlwind romance, three months and they were married on September 9, 1952. She thought it was more important to be a wife and mother. Out of this union they had four children Gwendolyn, Wayne, Barbara and Lisa. Once the children were older she did return to work in the Health care industry.

Thelma was all about her family and friends. Her house was filed with love, laughter and the smell of good food. Cooking was her talent. And the favorite place where everyone would gather was her kitchen better known as “Thelma’s Kitchen”. She would be making jokes and cooking food. She was loved and known for making those homemade rolls. So light, so soft and so buttery, you didn’t need anything on them. And you couldn’t just eat one, you took some home.

No one was a stranger to her. You could tell her your problems and she would give you advice. “Old School Advice”. Not any of that talk show stuff. Talking to her made you feel like somebody. You felt safe and you knew she would understand. She enjoyed praising the Lord and on Sunday mornings she would get up earlier and wake her house up by singing and playing the organ. She joined Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in 1981.

In 1977 Thelma began to deal with many health issues which she borne with the patience and Faithfulness of Job. Our Heavenly Father whispered to her and said “Daughter well done” and she passed peacefully into his arms on Thursday morning, June 18, 2015 in her home, Southfield MI. For her unwavering Faith and Love for the Lord Thelma traded her Mortal grab for her gown of immortality.
She leaves to cherish her loving memory her devoted husband Samuel Clayton, her children; Gwendolyn Elizabeth Spratlen, Atlanta GA., Wayne Manuel Clayton, Detroit, MI., Barbara Denise Williams, Southfield MI and Lisa Benita Clayton, Southfield MI, Three sisters; Celester Clark of Henderson NC, Mary Pharagood of Washington DC, and Wendolyn “Sue” Fogg of Henderson, NC, Twelve grandchildren, Fourteen Great grand children, and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

She has left us her legacy of love, patience, joy and laughter for us to celebrate for this is not a mournful time but a time to rejoice because "To be Absent from the Flesh is to be Present with the Lord.