Pastor Gary Richard Clayton, 75, of Cole Camp, Mo. died Sunday, March 11, 2012, at Good Samaritan Care Center, Cole Camp. He was born on March 6, 1937, at his grandparent’s home in Austin, Minn., a son of Richard Herbert and Henrietta Adelaide Anna (Fick) Clayton.

On Oct. 25, 1971, in Cole Camp, he was united in marriage to Marilyn Sue Meyer, who survives of the home. This union was blessed with four children.

He spent his entire career in church work, serving as teacher and principal at Trinity Lutheran School in Winfield, Kan., and as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cole Camp, Mo.; Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Cold Spring, Minn.; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Fulda, Minn., and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Concordia, Mo. before returning to serve as assistant pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cole Camp. He continued serving actively until the time of his death.

Besides his wife, he is survived by: two daughters, Becky Hipple and her husband Eric of Collinsville, Ill., and Rachel Martens and her husband Todd of Concordia; two sons, Kirk Clayton and his wife Lori of Mascoutah, Ill., and Richard Clayton and his wife Jennifer of Concordia; two sisters, Garda Kunkel and her husband Jesse of Concordia and Dorothy Meyer of Grand Meadow, Minn.; one brother, David Clayton and his wife Judy of Rochester, Minn.; 11 grandchildren, Shilah Martens, Johnathan Clayton, Peter Hipple, Matthew Clayton, Anna Hipple, Nathaniel Clayton, Abigail Clayton, Benjamin Hipple, Isaiah Clayton, Jaxson Clayton, and Claira Martens.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Pauline Clayton; and two brothers, Donald Clayton (in infancy) and Robert Clayton.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, 2012, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Concordia, with the Rev. Dr. Ray Mirly, President of the Missouri District of the LCMS, the Rev. Dr. James Kahltoff, President Emeritus of the Missouri District of the LCMS, the Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan of Concordia, and the Rev. Michael Boothby, the Rev. Allen Braun, and the Rev. Todd Kollbaum of Cole Camp, participating in the service. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Concordia.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 16, 2012, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cole Camp, with a prayer service to be held at 7:00 p.m. A visitation will be held on Saturday, March 17, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Concordia from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The family suggests memorial contributions be given to Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund in Cole Camp, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Endowment Fund in Concordia, St. Paul’s Lutheran High School in Concordia, or The Lutheran Hour in care of the Fox Funeral Home, PO Box 37, Cole Camp, MO 65325.

Pallbearers will be David Clayton, Greg Kunkel, Jeff Kunkel, Brad Kunkel, Kent Kunkel, Jesse Kunkel, and Paul Brandt. All attending clergy will serve as honorary pallbearers.