RICHARD “DICK” CLAYTON

Long time Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills resident Richard “Dick” Clayton, 86, passed away at his home on October 8, 2004 of congestive heart failure after a 3-month illness.

Born in Minneapolis, MN on April 13, 1918, he lived in St. Paul throughout his childhood, and attended the University of Minnesota with the major of Mining Engineering. He dropped out of college before finishing his degree to join the Army Air Corp in 1940. Both before and during WWII, Dick ferried airplanes to European allied forces-first to Britain, and then later to the Middle East.

After serving in the Army, Dick became a pilot for Slick Airways, an international freight airlines. He stayed with the company for 32 years through its merger with Airlift International until his retirement in 1978. He traveled overseas extensively throughout those years including flying many cargo and personnel flights to Japan and Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Dick met Jane Hayes in Chicago in the late 1940s. They both moved to California in the early ’50s and were married in 1952. They lived first in Los Altos and then built a home in Los Altos Hills, where they raised their only child. Jane passed away in 1977. In 1979, Dick met Martha Geiken on a “blind” tennis date. They were married in 1982 and lived happily in Palo Alto until his death.

Dick enjoyed sporting and athletic activities including fishing, hunting, ice hockey, hiking and tennis. Even at the age of 85 you could find him working out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at the YMCA. He remained an avid skier well into his 80s.

Dick is survived by his second wife, Martha Ball Clayton of Palo Alto and his daughter, Jan E. Clayton of Los Altos Hills.

An open-house celebration of Dick’s life will be held at Martha’s Palo Alto home on Sunday, November 14, 2004 from 2:00-6:00 PM. For more information about his life, his celebration and a list of favorite charities email (jclayton@xs.com) or visit http://esi.xs.com/RClayton.