Howard Winfred Claytor Jr.

Howard W. Claytor, Jr., 74, of Institute, went to be with the Lord, May 4, 2017 with his family by his side. He was born April 2, 1943 in Amandaville, the son of Howard and ELenora Adkins Claytor, Sr. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Claytor, and brothers, Douglas, Erwin, and James Claytor. Howard attended St. Albans Junior High until 1959 and then received his GED in 1985. He then went on to attend West Virginia Career College majoring in Fundamentals of Computers and Accounting, graduating in 1986. From 1959 to 1976, Howard was a boxer, both for Golden Gloves and professionally. He was a participant in the 1962 National Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament in Kansas City representing West Virginia. He was employed at FMC, Nitro from 1970-1975 and then was employed at W. Va. State College from 1975-1981 where he worked in the janitorial department and campus police. On May 1, 1981, he went to work for Kanawha County Parks and Recreation until he had a stroke on August 19, 2003. He then retired from the parks system and became a security guard at W. Va. Rehabilitation Center for four months. After that, he was a supervisor there until 2007 when they closed their doors for good. Howard was a member of the Shrine, a 33rd Degree Mason and a member of the Eastern Star. He was an active member of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, St. Albans where he was a deacon from 2007 until present. He is survived by his children, Christine Claytor, of Nitro, Howard “Cookie” Claytor, III (Maryann), of St. Albans, Sherry Williams (Chawn), of St. Albans, and Barbara Claytor, of St. Albans, 9 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, brothers, Leonard Claytor (Pinkie), of St. Albans, and Lawrence Claytor (Carolyn), of Nitro, and sisters, Doris Claytor, of St. Albans, and Alberta Steptoe, of Roanoke, VA, step children, Carol Bush, of Seattle, WA, Teresa McGee, and Norva McGee, of Charlotte, NC.