Clayton Mitsuo Christy

Known for his infinite kindness and unfettered generosity, Clayton cared deeply about his friends, colleagues, and was honored to be a support and cheerleader for the students at Lakeside School. Whether sharing a meal with good friends or taking incredible photographs of student-athletes, Clayton’s presence was always uplifting. Clayton Mitsuo Christy, 65, of Moses Lake, WA died peacefully at Swedish Cherry Hill of heart failure on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

He was born in Honolulu, HI in 1960 to Roy Kunio Kiya Christy and Kimie Toguchi. However, Clayton was raised by his grandparents. He loved playing in the neighborhood with friends, fishing, and doing odd jobs to get money to go to the movies. He was a member of the tennis team in high school and held a job as a cook in a restaurant. Upon graduation, he headed to Texas and enrolled in Benihana’s chef school. He worked hard developing great knife skills and graduated first in his class. He was given the opportunity to pick the restaurant to work at and chose the flagship one in Manhattan.

He loved his time in the city and on the east coast. He learned to ski and golf and even made several trips to the Jersey Shore. At work, his knife skills were so good that they were featured on a national television commercial.

After a trip with a friend to the Seattle area, Clayton decided this would be his home. He worked as a chef in a few different resorts and restaurants. In 1995, he started working in the kitchen at Lakeside School. A few years later, he moved to the maintenance department where he worked until he retired in the spring of 2023. While Clayton’s dedication to his work was exemplary, he will be remembered for the love he had for his colleagues and the students and for being a member of the Lakeside community. Most days, when his shift was over in maintenance, Clayton would be seen at Lakeside athletic events. He quickly became the main sports photographer at the school. His photos were used in promotional materials and for graphics displayed online. The athletes and coaches loved it when he was at their competitions, and Clayton was viewed as the school’s Super Fan!

Clayton never married and did not have any children. He invested in good friends and worked to make every person he crossed paths with feel good about themselves. He might bring you some candy that he knew you liked or pick up a check at a restaurant. He might ask for a picture with you so he had a memory of your time with him. In everything he did, he looked to make your day better if he could. A prankster, a lover of the outdoors, a person who loved technology and gadgets, Clayton embraced every day with the hopes of smiling, laughing, keeping stress levels low, and eating the best food he could find.

Clayton did not want a funeral service. He asked that his ashes find their way back to Hawai’i. As more details are solidified, those who knew Clayton will have a chance to share remembrances and celebrate his life.