Clayton "Buddy" Baxter Pierce III

Clayton "Clay/Buddy" Baxter Pierce III, age 76, of Arvada, Colorado passed away on Sunday, July 30, 2023, in Lakewood, Colorado, primarily from Alzheimer’s disease. Clay was born in Fort Collins, Colorado and, as the son of a Forest Ranger, moved around a lot in his childhood.

He was a mischievous and adventurous child who ditched school during outhouse bathroom runs, climbed impossibly large boulders, unleashed alligators in the high school hallway and played lots of sports.

He had an entrepreneurial spirit and spent most of his career in management and sales. Clay was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandpa (“Bapa”), brother, uncle and friend. Accomplishment highlights include winning the Man of the Year Award for the YMCA, becoming “Chief of the Blackfoot Nation” for three years (for Y-Indian Princesses), earning multiple top sales awards, realizing 20+ years of sobriety and being with the love of his life for 60 years.

Clay is survived by his wife, Donna, of nearly 56 years of marriage; his eldest daughter, Heidi and son-in-law Tim Schofield; his youngest daughter, Kara; his grandchildren, Delaney and Jacek Whitney; and two of his siblings, David and Leslie Pierce. Clay's love for Donna knew no bounds. In college, he would hop freight trains from Sterling to Denver just to see her.

Clay enjoyed spending time in the mountains, especially around the Pierce family cabin; fly fishing; skiing; Y-Indian Princesses with his girls; fishing trips to Canada with the guys; golf; being a grandpa; and spending life with his high-school sweetheart. Clay was an avid talk radio fan and reader. He loved Stephen King (his favorite book by Stephen King was The Stand). He was also such a loyal Starbucks customer that the store he frequented had a button just for him and his “Clay’s Special.”

Private family/friend services will be held for Clay in August.

The family invites all who have treasured memories and cherished stories of Clay to share them through his online obituary and memorial website at www.CrownHillFuneral.com. A tribute movie will be coming soon.