Jean Anderson Clayton

Jean Elizabeth Anderson Clayton died on December 16, 2018 in Kansas City, MO. She had previously lived in Smithfield, VA for almost sixty-six years.  She was predeceased by her husband of fifty-three years, John Robert Clayton, her parents Ernest Ellyson Anderson and Mary Hayes Anderson, her brother, Ernest Ellyson Anderson, Jr., and her sister, Martha Anderson Gwaltney. 

Mrs. Clayton was born in Essex County, Virginia in 1927.  She graduated from Tappahannock High School in 1943 and continued her education at Longwood College and graduated in 1946.  She was a member of Pi Gamma Mu, a National History Honor Society.  After graduation she began her teaching career in Nansemond County at Holland High School.  She taught English, sponsored the senior class and coached girls’ basketball.  She coached a district championship team in 1949.

After her marriage in 1949, she taught at Windsor High School a year and then moved to Smithfield where she began teaching at Smithfield High School.  She retired in 1984 with thirty-three years of service. 

After her retirement, she joined the Woman’s Club of Smithfield and devoted much of her time to volunteering, serving on committees and working on the club’s historical calendar for twenty-two years.  She served as president of the club from 1990-1994 and was voted “Woman of the Year” in 1995. She loved club work and serving on club committees.   She also enjoyed serving on the board of the concert series “Sundays at Four”. 

Shortly after she moved to Smithfield, Mrs. Clayton joined the Smithfield Baptist Church.  She remained an active member until her move to Kansas City in June 2017. 

She is survived by her daughters, Mary C. Roderick and husband Larry of Newtown, PA and Nancy C. Schall and husband Bruce of Kansas City, MO.  She is also survived by four grandchildren, Leigh Roderick Treiling, Kate Roderick Lopez, Philip Andrew Schall, and Anna Schall Foote and by three great-grandchildren, Benicio Lawrence Lopez, John Dennis Treiling, and Claire Kathleen Treiling.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 22, 2018 at 11 a.m. at Smithfield Baptist Church with burial to follow in St. Luke's Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Smithfield Baptist Church Scholarship Fund.  Online condolences may be registered at www.littlesfuneralhome.com