Ernest Lector Clayborne

March 4, 1920 – Jan. 1, 2015

 

On Thursday, Jan. 1, Mr. Ernest Lector Clayborne, Jr. (Pop) went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Pop was born March 4, 1920, in Stovall (Vance County), North Carolina, and was the son of the late Ernest (Bossy) Clayborne and the late Ethel Eggleston Clayborne. When Pop was 11 years old, his father passed away, and after the Great Depression his mother moved with her children to the Farmville area of Pitt County and later to the Washington area of Beaufort County. At age 16, Ernest joined the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and served with them in Hyde County. On Aug. 23, 1941, he married Yvonne Gray Sheppard and from their union five children were born. Ernest served in Iran, Egypt, and Casablanca with the US Army during WWII. After returning home he worked for the State of North Carolina and then worked for many years with Carolina Dairies. He was the first door-to-door delivery man who used a horse and wagon for milk delivery in Beaufort County and was a supervisor when he later became affiliated with Sealtest Dairies. In the late 1960s, he moved his Sealtest franchise to the Kinston area and resided there for several years. For the last 40 plus years, he lived in the Fountain Hill area of Hugo in Lenoir County. He attended Edwards Chapel UMC where he served as Sunday School superintendent for many years.

Pop loved spending time with his family and after his retirement, his favorite pastime was having coffee with one or more of his children at Bojangles or McDonalds.

Ernest was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Yvonne Gray Sheppard Clayborne on Nov. 9, 2014 and his son Mark Edward Clayborne on Dec. 24, 2011. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Cecil (Skeet) Clayborne, Ben Clayborne, and Douglas T. Clayborne; his sisters, Bethel C. Eastwood, Camilla (Bill) C. Grizzard, Jackie C. Weakland, Helen Maxine (Max) C. Cox and a sister Totsy Clayborne who died six months after her birth. He was also preceded in death by a half brother, Andrew M. Clayborne of Oxford, NC.

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved children: daughters, Linda Clayborne Hamilton and husband Franz, and Gayle C. Allen (Tommy) of Hookerton; sons, Ernest Steven (Steve) Clayborne and wife Jackie of Kinston and Jonathan Clayborne and wife Joan of Ayden, NC; grandchildren, Ernest Robert (Robbie) Ramsey, NC, Gregory Thomas (Greg) Ramsey, Carol Pollard Lovick, William Glenn Pollard, Steven Lane Pollard, Christopher Clayborne and Jaime Clayborne, Roseann Andrews and Michael Clayborne, Jeremy Clayborne, NC and Jonathan C. (J.C.) Clayborne; 18 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, at Hillside Funeral Service with a memorial service at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Hillside Funeral Service, followed by the burial service at the graveside in Pamlico Memorial Gardens. Services will be officiated by Rev. Greg Ramsey and Rev. M. E. Cox of Durham.

Family may be reached at his home in Grifton before and after scheduled services.

In lieu of flowers donations may be to Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina, 400 Flemington Dr., Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450.

Special thanks to Dr. Chada and Dr. Lee (Palliative Services) and all the nurses and staff of Second Floor East at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville.

You may share a memory with the family and view Ernest’s video tribute by visiting www.hillsidefuneralservice.com

Hillside Funeral Service & Cremations, 4500 Hwy 264 E, Washington, has been given the honor of being entrusted with serving the Clayborne family.