Oliver Fredrick Clayburn, 85, died Thursday, July 1, 2010, in Houston.
He was born Jan. 30, 1925, in Elkhart, Ind., son of Merritt Edward Clayburn and Edith Constance Borden. He and Mary Cloe Caslow Clayburn were married Nov. 28, 1943, in Rochester, Ind.
He grew up in Fulton County, Ind., and graduated as valedictorian his class in 1943 from Talma High School.
He loved farming and worked as a salesman and sales manager for A.O.Smith Harvestore dealerships in Michigan, New York and Ohio. He won several awards, including being named the top salesman in the country. He began his own business, Ollie’s Farmstead Service, in 1974. He and his wife worked together for many years, selling and installing computerized feeding systems for dairy farms before he retired in 2003.
He loved God, his wife and his children. He promoted Christian education and was instrumental in building and starting church schools in Michigan, New York and Ohio.
He enjoyed bird watching, canoeing, camping, gardening and reading. He was an elder in the Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship in Houston until shortly before his death.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Josephine; a brother, William; a son, Thomas; and a daughter, Joyce Jones.
Survivors include his wife, Mary; seven children, Vera Freeman, Janet Penird, Linda Becker, Theodore Clayburn, Terry Blackburn Hellinger, Larry Clayburn, Mark Clayburn; a brother, Duane Clayburn; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and a great-great grandchild.
Memorial services were Sunday, July 4, at Seventh-day Adventist Church of Mountain Grove. Cremation was under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be sent to www.evansfh.com.
