Obituary of Harold Ray Clayton

Harold Ray Clayton, disability no handicap Harold Ray Clayton lost a leg when he was hit by a car when he was 9 years old, but he didn't let it deter him from going on to a successful career as a designer and builder of many Northern Kentucky churches. "He got the nickname 'Spunky' as a boy because of the way he handled his loss," said Mr. Clayton's daughter, Danita Rae Powell of Union. "He never considered himself handicapped." Mr. Clayton, 74, of Independence, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood. He was a general contractor and owner of Compass Construction Co. He was a member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, attended Southern Seminary in Louisville and graduated from Georgetown College in 1955. "My dad used his talents to serve the Lord through building," said his daughter. "Building churches was his way of serving God." Mr. Clayton's wife of 48 years, Sara Clayton, said her husband was "gentle, gifted, generous and quick-witted." "He was creative," she said. "He had a talent for building. He would do the drawings as well as oversee construction. "He was of strong faith and very family oriented." Other survivors include sons, Douglas H. Clayton of Crittenden, Duane H. Clayton of Trophy Club, Texas, and Dwight H. Clayton of Independence; sisters, Dorothy Strady of Covington and Sharon R. Blank of Fort Wright; and 12 grandchildren. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Independence. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hickory Grove Baptist Church Family Life Center, 11969 Taylor Mill Road, Independence, Ky. 41051.