Donald Lawrence Claytor

Donald Lawrence Claytor was born on March 25, 1934, to Ellis and Judith Ellen Claytor in Elkhorn, West Virginia.  He was the youngest of five children.  His mother died at an early age, and he was raised by his older sister Vera and both sets of grandparents.  He moved to Washington, DC, as a young man joining the family of his Uncle Wendell and Ivor Claytor.  Like most young men at that time, he joined the military and served in the Air Force from 1955 to 1959, including overseas duty in Japan.

Don met and married his life partner Sylvia L. Morton in Washington, DC, joining the Morton family of Manassas Virginia which there are many.  His cousin Dennis married Sylvia’s sister Delores Morton.  Don and Sylvia had two children Anthony Bernard Claytor and Wanda Lynne Claytor.  Their church family at First Baptist Church was a very important part of their lives, both serving in different capacities throughout their lives. Donald served as Deacon there for over 30 years.   Don also enjoyed singing with his cousins and the Morton family as “The Family Harmonizers” in churches and family events.  Don had many enjoyable times with family and friends playing golf and bowling serving as officer of clubs in each sport.  Don and the family loved attending the Reynolds-Claytor Family Reunions and participated prominently in the activities at each reunion held every other year.  Don also served in several positions on the Board of the Reunion.  Donald loved to take his family on many summer trips including going to Maine and Martha’s Vineyard.  Donald and Sylvia took many cruises as well as international business travel for his job.

Don was a graduate of Christiansburg Industrial Institute, Virginia, and attended Virginia State College (now University) in Petersburg.  Donald held several key positions in the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service as a procurement analyst (he was the first African American purchasing agent for the Forest Service), business utilization coordinator for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Businesses and the Office of the Secretary for Food and Nutrition Services.  He received several Secretarial and Division citations, and a Presidential citation during the Ford Administration. 

Donald is preceded in death by his daughter Wanda in 2004 and wife Sylvia in 2023, sister Dorothy Claytor Graves, brothers Ellis David Claytor and Howard Morris Claytor, and brother-in-law Harold Morton (Diane).  He leaves to mourn his passing his son Anthony Bernard Claytor (Alice Goldring), grandsons Anthony Bryan Claytor and Armin Hoes Jr., and three great-grandchildren Aden Hoes, Andrew Claytor and Andre Claytor, sister Vera Claytor LeBlanc, and sister-in-law Delores Morton Claytor and her siblings Yvonne McNeil, Loretta Farmer (George), Robert Morton (Deborah), Otis Morton (Jerri), Mada Porter, and Len Morton Sr. (Sheila), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.

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