Otis Doyle Claywell

Doyle was a true extrovert who never met a stranger; he would give you the coat off his back if you needed it. He loved Kentucky basketball and Dodger baseball. He loved to laugh, to hug, and to dream. He loved his family, both immediate and extended, and no matter what the circumstances, exuded perpetual optimism

A Reception with family will take place on Sunday, June 28, at 4pm followed by a Celebration of Life at 5pm in the sanctuary at West Market United Methodist Church in Greensboro.

In lieu of flowers, the family will be announcing the creation of a need-based scholarship for a deserving student from Adair County, Kentucky. If interested in donating, please contact Brett Claywell at [email protected] for details.

Doyle is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Elizabeth Quillen Claywell; his three children, Traci Elizabeth Claywell (Sean Murphy), Christopher Doyle Claywell (Sherrie Billings), and Brett Quillen Claywell (Tamara de Kauwe); three grandchildren (Sean Doyle Murphy, Phoenix Harper Claywell, and Willow Elizabeth Claywell); two siblings (Leon Claywell and Janice Claywell Tudor), and dozens of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Ruby Branham Claywell, and his father, Otis Claywell; four siblings (Lyman Claywell, Lila Claywell Kimbler, Elaine Claywell Replogle, and Irvin Claywell); his beloved grandparents, Rollin and Audrey Lacy Claywell (Pa and Ma), and numerous cousins who felt more like brothers.

Doyle also was cherished as a coach and mentor to hundreds of youth from diverse Greensboro neighborhoods for decades. He spent untold hours transporting and training children in the sports that were so pivotal to the advancement of his own life.

Born on June 22, 1945 at home in Breeding, Kentucky, Doyle grew up in humble circumstances. He attended Breeding Elementary School and Adair County High School in Columbia, Kentucky where he excelled in academics and athletics. As an 8th grader, he and his younger brother, Leon, participated in basketball games that were broadcast on the radio all over the region, with commentators frequently singling out “the Claywell boys.”

It was in 6th grade that Doyle drew the attention of his teacher, Mr. Brooks Coomer, who made Doyle one of his main priorities. Mr. Coomer would pick up Doyle and Leon at their home and take them to baseball games around the area, trying to expose them to opportunities beyond Adair County.

During Doyle’s final year in high school, he was elected Senior Class President and he also won a state-wide essay contest, beating out 60,000 other students across the commonwealth.

Thanks to Mr. Coomer’s guidance and encouragement, Doyle entered college in the fall of 1964 at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, the first of his family to do so. It was there where he soon discovered a vivacious cheerleader known as MEQ, and they became inseparable. He had discovered the love of his life and on October 22, 1965, they were married.

The following summer, their first child was born. Although the odds were against them, both Doyle and MEQ finished college, she in three years, working odd jobs and taking extra classes, with a baby. And still, the accolades continued.

During his junior year, Doyle was voted by the student body as “Mr. LMU” and received multiple athletic awards, including the “Best All-Around Athlete” trophy. Senior year, he was voted “Mr. Citizen.”

After college, Doyle earned his MBA from the University of Kentucky, another first. Afterwards, he was hired to work as a fiscal analyst for the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and remained with that agency until the mid-1980s. Lifelong friends from that time describe him as a risk-taker and a leader with a strong sense of character.

In 1971, now with two children, (and a third child arriving a few years later), the family moved to Greensboro, NC, where he became active in neighborhood athletics. Elected as the president of the Four Seasons Athletic Association, he became a force of nature, fighting for the rights of girls and minorities to play ball equally. From the mid-1970s through the 1990s, he not only coached dozens of youth teams in many sports, he transported players who needed it to and from home, sometimes in neighborhoods miles away.

With his entrepreneurial spirit, Doyle left HUD in 1984 and launched a commercial real estate company, which ultimately resulted in the completion of two Sheraton Hotels in New Bern, NC and Staunton, VA as well as numerous shopping centers across NC and VA.

In his later years, Doyle enjoyed the simpler things, like spending playful hours with his grandchildren, watching old movies with MEQ, and relishing the success of Kentucky basketball and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Doyle Claywell spent his life championing the underserved and fighting for fairness within his community. He is deeply missed, but after observing his example, his children will carry his torch and continue to fight for his beliefs.