Clyde Kenneth England

Clyde Kenneth “Windy” England, 103, of Martinsville, passed away on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at Hughes Home. Clyde was born in Brevard, N.C. on May 4, 1915 to John R. and Rachel S. England. His family moved to the Martinsville area in 1933. Clyde met and married Mildred and made Martinsville his permanent home. He worked at the Martinsville Cotton Mill and at Martinsville Novelty Company. Clyde joined the National Guard in 1936. His unit was called into active service in 1941 and became part of the Company H of the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. Clyde’s unit was shipped to Great Britain to train for the D-Day invasion. Technical Sergeant England led 40 men in the assault on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Clyde returned to Martinsville after the war and became an administrative technician for the Virginia National Guard and retired on 1973. He was honored by Governor Lindsay Almond in 1959 who chose him as one of four Virginians to represent the 29th Division at a dedication of a monument on Omaha Beach on the 15th anniversary of D-Day. Clyde received many citations and honors, including The Bronze Star, the European Theater of Operations medal which bears an arrow head signifying the D-Day role, The Purple Heart with cluster, two stars representing major battle campaigns, an American Defense medal, a WWII Victory medal, a U.S. Army Reserve medal with two clusters, and a Virginia Service Medal with five clusters. He also received a Presidential Unit Citation medal for his unit’s role in D-Day. Clyde enjoyed hunting and fishing after retiring from the National Guard. He loved to travel with his wife and they visited many parts of the country. Clyde was an active member of First Baptist Church in Martinsville. Survivors include his daughter, Deborah Slaydon (Thomas); two grandsons Matthew Slaydon (Elizabeth) and Jared Slaydon (Cara); and several nieces and nephews. Clyde was preceded in death by his wife of 79 years, Mildred Draper England. A funeral service will be held on March 23, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Martinsville and will be officiated by Reverend Libby M. Grammer and Reverend John Fulcher. Interment will follows at Roselawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, March 22, from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at McKee-Stone Funeral Home.