Clayton Greene Sr.

August 23, 1926 - September 21, 2021

UNDER THE SUN . . . THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING! Ecclesiastes 3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: (v.1) A time to be born (v. 2a) August 23, 1926, Clayton Greene was born; the only child of Lawson Greene and Bertha C. Pearmon. After the separation of his parents, Clayton was reared in the home of his grandparents, Rev. Charles A. Pearmon and his wife, Lillie Mae Hogan Pearmon located in the community of Freetown in Anne Arundel County. A time to plant (learn, v. 2b) Education: Clayton began his education at the knee of his grandmother, Lillie, where he learned to read the Bible, and the value of money as he worked in the family grocery store and lunchroom. As a student at Wiley H. Bates High School, Clayton participated in the Automotive Program and practiced what he learned about automobiles on Saturdays at Bill Dotson’s Auto Mechanic Shop. To develop skills in other areas, Clayton enrolled in the Tandy Leather Home Study Program, Kodak Home Photography Modules, and the Anne Arundel Community College’s Program for employees of County Public Schools. There he learned electronics, plumbing, groundskeeping, as well as building construction and safety procedures. Clayton used the skills he developed to become a jack of all trades and a master of many. A time to love (v. 8a) Clayton and his future bride, Evelyn Edwards (having departed this life May 27, 2015) both attended Wiley H. Bates High School at the same time, rode the same bus, and grew up in the same church – Hall Methodist Episcopal Church; yet they did not pay much attention to each other until the eleventh grade. That is when Clayton and Evelyn truly saw each other; it was love at first sight. On October 3, 1946, Clayton was joined in marriage with Evelyn Virginia Edwards, the daughter of Melvin A. Edwards and Pearl Hammond Edwards at the home of Clayton’s grandparents. Their union was officiated by the late Rev. J.D. Brown, Pastor of Hall Methodist Episcopal Church. Together Clayton and Evelyn reared four children – Rev. Paulette V. Jones (Richard, deceased), Ruth A. Scott (John, deceased), Judge Clayton Greene Jr. (Ret.) (Janice) and David E. Greene (deceased), and encouraged them to go as far in school as they possible could. Together Clayton and Evelyn loved and influenced the lives of everyone they knew. They saw a need to focus their attention on the development of young men within the community. There were many young men who shared a special mentoring relationship with Clayton and Evelyn, including, but not limited to, Kenneth Clark, Louis Bouyer (deceased), Larry Hill (deceased), James Edwards (deceased), Larry Goodwin, Kevin and Michael Peters, Michael Hall, Nathaniel and Carlton Bouyer, Kevin Matthews, and Floyd Greene. A time to build (v. 3b) Clayton and Evelyn established their home in Freetown on the land next door to Clayton’s grandparents. With the help of Clayton and Evelyn’s best friends, Eugene and Gertrude Clark, the Greenes converted a newly built chicken coop into a two-room home that quickly grew into two small rooms, then, six larger rooms, and today, it is a spacious rancher that could accommodate the entire family of thirty-six souls for holiday and birthday celebrations. They built a home for the family to gather – beginning with four children, then six grandchildren – Adrian P. Jones (Christy), Antonio R. Scott (Jewel), Monica R. Jones Ayileka (Bobola), Patrick V. Allen, Clayton Greene III (Selena) and Jonathan C. Greene (Deanna); then eleven great-grandchildren – Adrian Jones II (Jade), Skye Jones, Blaze Jones, Hayes Jones, David Payne Snell-Jones, Antoine Scott (Celena), Julian Scott (Christine), Alisha Lewis (Michael), Parker C. Greene, Makenna E. Greene, Kaya A. Greene, and Jordan L. Greene; then four great, great-grandchildren – Michael Lewis II, Josiah Scott, Justice Scott, and Ciaus M. Scott. A time to serve Service in the Military – At the conclusion of his High School junior year, Clayton was drafted into the Marine Corps where he served a tour of duty from 1944 to 1946. Clayton learned the type of discipline that allowed him to accomplish assigned tasks regardless of the circumstances. This ability served him well as he assumed his grandfather’s job as custodian at Freetown Elementary School (a two room Roswell School). This was a great training ground for his future work as the chief custodian at the “new” Freetown Elementary school built in 1959 (a ten-room modernized elementary school with indoor plumbing and subsequently the twenty-five-room addition to the school that followed). With this background and the additional labor of his children and grandchildren, Clayton was on to bigger and better things as Area Forman for Anne Arundel County Schools. His maintenance, management and supervisory skills served him well as he was recognized by his supervisors as the only area foreman to successfully supervise school custodial staff and assist Principals to effectively organize the custodial staff for maximum efficiency in all four divisional areas of the county. In 1989 after 33 years of service, Clayton was again recognized at his retirement ceremony for his outstanding service to the students of Anne Arundel County with several plaques and certificates not only for Area Foreman but for his service as an elementary school bus driver. Service in the Church – As a product of Hall United Methodist Church from birth, Clayton established himself as a leader within the church family. There are only a few offices he did not hold over his lifetime. Apart from pastor, he has served as trustee, Chairperson of the Pastor/Parish Relations-Committee, Church Lay Leader, member of the Youth Choir, Senior Choir II, Male Chorus, Sunday School teacher, chair and member of the Finance Committee, and member of the Building Fund Committee. We remember when Clayton played the role of the preacher in the last Tom Thumb wedding which was sponsored by the United Methodist Men and Women’s groups. Service to the Community – Clayton tried to live by two limericks he taught us as children. Both are Biblically based in Love your neighbors as yourself and do unto others, as you want done to you. “Good, Better, Best, never rest until you have made your good better and your better the best!” & “If you see something that is done wrong, say something. Better yet, do something! Correct it.” Our father tried to live and do that which he asked others to do. He drove people to the polls to vote, mentored countless young people, started the Freetown Teen Club, and tried to set the example for how to live a Christian life. At home he nurtured and inspired his children and others in the community. He taught them life lessons, including reading, writing and arithmetic, to the extent of his abilities; and then asked enough questions that you and he learned the process or procedure well enough to answer questions and solve the problem yourself. A basic question he asked children was: “Have you learned anything today?” His interests outside of Freetown were focused on improving the community at large. His membership in Rising Sun Lodge No. 46 expanded his community to include the communities of his brother Masons as they repaired roofs, provided food for the needy, visited the sick and generally gave assistance where and when it was needed. A time to work (v.22) Building the Career – After his honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corp, Clayton worked at Worth’s Poultry Farm where he was an experienced handyman on the chicken farm. He walked daily from Freetown to lake Waterford and walked home after working 10+ hours per day, six days a week. After working several years at Worth’s Poultry farm, he landed a cushy job as a school custodian. He moved up the ranks and eventually accepted the position of Anne Arundel Public School’s Chief Area Forman. With this job he was always on call. After 33 years of service, he finally retired from A. A. County Public Schools. As a retired worker, with no set hours and no days off, he worked just as he started – Simply get the job done. No matter how long it takes. To work, Clayton would say, “This is God’s gift.” We note that, Clayton’s passion was building model railroads. Allying the skills he learned as a journey man, laborer, farmer, carpenter, electrician and advent reader, Clayton, using his own ingenuity, taught himself how to build large train layouts in his basement for O gauge model trains. It was more fun for him to build than to watch the trains run along the tracks. When he ran out of space to build his layouts in the basement of his home, he tried to figure out ways to expand the layout to extend through the basement ceiling into the living room on the main floor of his rancher. To him, the sky was the limit! A time to die (v. 2a) Clayton Greene Sr., at the age of 95, departed this life, after an extended battle with prostate cancer, and its complications at 2:16 a.m., on September 21, 2021, at his home in Freetown near Glen Burnie, Maryland, surrounded by family and loves ones. We will miss the many talks shared with Clayton and his daily admonition to: “Be Kind!” We will continue to follow his example to Live, Love, and Thank God for every opportunity to share the wealth of God’s gift to us, for the time is now! Do not waste your time! In addition to a host of relatives and friends, Clayton leaves to mourn his passing his close and devoted friend and companion, Frances Aycth, her daughter LaShaurn and their family. Submitted by the Family The family invites loved ones to make donations in Clayton’s memory to Rising Sun Masonic Lodge No. 46 959 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd Severna Park, MD 21146 Freetown Improvement Association 7825 Freetown Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060 Hospice of the Chesapeake 90 Ritchie Highway Pasadena, MD 21122