Willie Clayborn Jr.

Willie Clayborn Jr. was born to Willie James Clayborn and Geneva Traylor-Clayborn on March 27,1947 in Anniston,Alabama. He accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Mount Liberty Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama where he taught Sunday School.

Willie’s family and close friends affectionately called him “Spoo.” He was also known as “Clayborn,” “Big C,” and “Mr.C.” Willie attended Thankful Elementary School in Anniston, Alabama and Calhoun County Training High School in Hobson City, Alabama where he graduated in 1965. Willie was an avid basketball player throughout his life (high school, military and post military). After graduation Willie joined the Marines on June 12th, 1965. He traveled the world during his tenure and fought in Vietnam.

In 1967 Willie was stationed at Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda, California. It was there he met the love of his life, Jacqulyn Arnita Mickle. They married August 23rd,1969 with a military wedding on the base. To this union four sons were born. In 1971 twin boys Willie Alphonse Clayborn and William Delphonse Clayborn entered the world. Sadly, within a few hours of birth, William deceased. Willie took it hard losing one of the twins, yet there was one twin to hold on to. In 1974 Jermon Lamonte Clayborn was born. In 1979 the family welcomed Jerald Antoine Clayborn. These babies brought so much joy to the family.

Willie was such a loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin and friend. In addition, Willie was a father to many youngsters who had absent fathers and those who did not know their fathers. Because Willie was a good listener and offered good advice, people loved talking, sharing their stories and personal problems with him; some good and some not. knowing their conversations would go no further, Willie was a trusted man. He was a cool, calm, and collective confidant. He attended Laney College in Oakland, California where he studied business and psychology. Willie was a very smart man and especially good with numbers, so much so that he could solve mathematical problems quickly. He was business-minded and loved to read, especially the newspaper. It was in the newspaper he would find recipes for cakes for his wife to bake. He loved her homemade cakes.

Willie was offered the position of a financial advisor by a top insurance company because of his skills in business and his savvy knowledge of algorithms, but he turned it down. Always willing to help others with their business needs, this type of work was not his calling, and he was smart enough to realize it. Willie had a knack for producing catchy titles for anything. He gave the name “Women for Jesus” for his wife’s women’s ministry at church, and he also named her cookbook “Sweets By The Bay By Lady J.” Willie worked alongside his wife in their business “WJ” selling Chalk Line sportswear and women’s wear from different vendors.

Willie enjoyed entertaining family and friends. His love for music, especially jazz, could be heard throughout the house on Friday evenings at the end of a work week. He was an excellent whist card player and he also enjoyed playing dominos. His favorite hobbies were fishing and traveling. Willie and Jacqulyn traveled to many places by driving, flying, and cruising. Many of their vacations were taken with their boys, which glued the family together with so much love. He was definitely a family man. Willie also had a love for cars, which was something he and his boys loved talking about. Willie loved sports, especially basketball and football. He was a San Francisco 49er and a Lakers fan. During football season he would change his days off work for televised Monday night football games. Some of his favorite sports players were Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar just to name a few.

Willie worked hard all his adult life to provide for his family. He worked at American Can Company in Oakland, California on the assembly line, Cutter Laboratory in Berkeley, California where he worked in the blood plasma department, then transferred to the heart valve department. Lastly, he was employed at Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) as a bus driver where he met numerous people who showered him with gifts. The passengers young and old commented on how Willie was so helpful, he would wait and assist passengers having a hard time getting on the bus. Willie was a Christian who loved the Lord God with all his heart, mind and soul. He loved to read the bible and take notes in church from the sermons. Willie would often say, “It was the Lord who kept me safe in Vietnam and brought me home safely.” He also realized it was the Lord that blessed him with his jobs. Willie spent Sundays at St Phillips Lutheran Church in Oakland, California. Some years later he worshiped at Hilltop Community Church in Richmond, California. In 2005 the family relocated to Douglasville, Georgia. In March 2006 Willie joined Marvelous Light Christian Ministries, some years later he joined Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lithia Springs, Georgia under the leadership of Pastor Benjamin Lang until his demise.

Willie was preceded in death by his baby boy, William Delphonse Clayborn; father, Willie James Clayborn; brothers, John Wesley Clayborn and Donnie Ray Clayborn; sister- in-laws, Stephanie and Sharon Clayborn; grandfather, Reese Traylor; grandmother, Josie Traylor; aunts, Carrie Lee Riggins, Gladys Lee, Mildred Turner, Hazel Young, Hattie Mae Ward, Lila V. Avery, Nazie Ree Ward; uncles, Elbert C. Traylor and Reese Traylor. Jr.

He leaves to cherish his wife of almost 55 years Jacqulyn Arnita Clayborn; sons, Willie Alphonse Clayborn, Jermon Lamonte Clayborn and Jerald Antoine Clayborn; grandsons, Isaiah Alphonse Clayborn, Jerald Antoine Clayborn Jr., Ethan Lamonte Clayborn and Ivory Levy Clayborn; mother, Geneva Clayborn; sisters, Willieva Knox (Leon), Genene Whisenant (Billie); brothers, Everett Clayborn (Marshay), Ronald Clayborn and Felix Clayborn, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.