Clayton Elder Amend was born July 22, 1919, in El Dorado, Kansas, and died September 26, 2013, in Bentonville, Arkansas. He was raised in Tulsa by his mother, Hazel (Elder) Amend, and father, Clayton Everett Amend, who worked for Magnolia and Mobil Oil. Clayton graduated from McAlester H.S. He began playing drums at age 12. In the Army Band, he played with the 45th Quartermaster Company in Ft. Sill, OK. He served in World War II in Italy. At Ft. Chaffee, Ft Smith, he played the organ at chapel worship, and was office assistant to the Chaplain. He also lived on military bases in Abilene, TX, Muskogee, and Enid, OK.
In his first marriage to Lyndall June in Van Buren they had a daughter, Lynda Gale, who passed in 2007. Clayton worked for the Veterans Administration and received several honorary awards for business efficiency suggestions. While working full time at the VA, he attended night classes in Business Administration at OCU. After 40 years at Tinker AFB, he retired from Inventory Management. On weekends he played gigs in Country Clubs, Czech Hall polka dances, and Military Officers’ clubs in cities across Oklahoma. He was the leader of the band “Versatiles”, and played with the Knights of Pythias band, and lastly with the Danforth Dandees at senior centers and retirement homes. He made lifelong friends by playing regularly for the Council for Retarded Children at the Dale Rogers Training Center. He volunteered with Boys and Girl Scouts, as a Boy Scout Leader at the Elks Lodge #417. He also belonged to the Masons and the American Legion. After retirement he kept active as a Security Guard for Pinkerton Agency. He received a “Service to Mankind Award” from the Sertoma Club, an Exceptional Service Award from RSVP, and a Bronze Zero Defects Award from the Air Force Logistics Command.
His church family for 40+ years has been Central Presbyterian.
During college he met and married the love of his life, Jessica Eleanor McCormick, who preceded him in death in 2010. Living in Bush Hills on Memory Lane they raised their 5 children: Richard, Ron, Mark, Lisa, and Eric. Grandchildren are Mike, Steve, Ryan, Sara, Jenny, Kerstin, Alexia, and 8 great-grandkids. Besides playing drums he played 3 piano tunes “Without a Song”, “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South”, and “Meditations”. He also wrote an original song, “I’ll be loving you Always” for Jessica.
Clayton had many friends at the Waterford Mansion Assisted Living where he resided for 5 years.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.
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