BARTLESVILLE EXAMINER-ENTERPRISE
www.examiner-enterprise.com
Published 10-12-2014
Jimmie Louise White Clayton, age 87, died on October 8, 2014 in a local nursing home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, Oct 13th at the Adams Boulevard Church of Christ in Bartlesville, Oklahoma with minister Dave Hammonds officiating. Her remains will be interred in the family plot at the Geary OK Cemetery, overlooking one of the family farms.
Jimmie was born December 31, 1926 in Cleburne, Texas to Bill and Lillian White. Her family moved to Geary Oklahoma when she was very young, and the family was involved with farming and ranching there for many years. She attended grade school there, then went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University in 1949. After graduation, she began teaching elementary school classes. She taught school for about 6 years total, including some time in Geary OK. After the teaching jobs, she worked in Lawton, OK for the TB Association. She was later offered a job in Atlanta heading the TBA staff in the state of Georgia and stayed in Georgia for a year. There she met Herbert S (Buddy) Clayton, and by Christmas they came home to Geary where they were married in the living room of her parents home. Buddy was soon transferred to Washington D.C., and on January 1st, 1956, they moved to Arlington VA. Two years later their son Clay was born.
Having lived in the Washington DC area, Jimmie had great stories to tell of her sightings and encounters with Eisenhower, J. Edgar Hoover, John F Kennedy, Earl Scruggs, and many other well-known people. The elders of her church once asked Jimmie to host Tillit S. Teddlie on a visit to the capital. Mr. Teddlie was a famous Church of Christ preacher and songwriter who composed several songs in our hymnals. Among his stories, he told Jimmie about writing one of his best songs sitting in an apple tree after being treed by a bull. Mr. Teddlie was a history buff with a special interest in Annapolis, and so Jimmie took him there for one of the very memorable tours for which Jimmie was famous.
About 1973, Jimmie and Clay moved to El Paso Texas, and Jimmie worked there at Southern Union Gas Company, later to become El Paso Natural Gas, for 14 years. She retired and moved back to Geary Oklahoma to be near her brother and her ailing father. After the death of her brother she moved to Bartlesville OK in 2008 to be near her niece, Deborah Anderson, who managed her care in her final years.
Jimmie enjoyed her family, and was dearly loved by her many friends and relatives. Jimmie was well known for her cheerful disposition, and especially loved to talk and tell stories. She was warm, generous, and kind to everyone. She was a member of Adams Boulevard Church of Christ, and a dedicated member of the Church of Christ throughout all her life.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband; also a brother, Paul, in 1987, and a brother, Charles, in 2007. Jimmie is survived by her son, Clay, of El Paso, Texas; a brother Bill White and wife Mary of Duncanville, Texas; a sister, Mildred and husband Ray Price, of Ripley, West Virginia; 5 nieces and nephews and 12 grand-nieces and grand-nephews, plus several great- grands. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be directed to the Adriatic Christian Academy in care of Adams Blvd. Church of Christ, 3700 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville, OK 74006. Funeral services and interment will be under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory. Friends who wish may sign the online guest book and leave condolences at www.stumpff.org. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/examiner-enterprise/obituary.aspx?n=jimmie-louise-clayton-white&pid=172763803&fhid=3324#sthash.XwzBL908.dpuf