Orvetta Millicent Clayton

ORVETTA MILLICENT CLAYTON Memorial services for Cortez resident Orvetta Millicent Clayton will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 17 at the Cortez First United Methodist Church. Pastor Tom Towns will officiate. Orvetta was born one of eight children to Samuel Earl and Cora Bell (Cotton) West on October 21, 1914 in Leslie, Ark. She passed away at Madison House on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at the age of 97. In 1935 Orvetta married George Lester Clayton in Oklahoma City, Okla. The couple had celebrated 26 years of marriage before George passed away in 1961. From 1966 to 1980 Orvetta was the librarian in Carbondale, Colo. She came to Cortez in 1980 and quickly became involved in community affairs. Surviving Orvetta are her children, Tina Larson and husband, John of Tarzana, Calif., Joe Clayton and wife, Gaye Lynn of Dolores, and Eizzy Leech and friend, Scott Oliver of Cortez. Also surviving Orvetta are nine grandchildren, Belinda Gion and husband, Michael of West Lake, Calif., Karen Larson of Tarzana, Calif., Maria Clayton of Cortez, Joe Clayton Jr. and wife, Vikki of Phoenix, Ariz., Kerri Clayton and husband, Jerome of Phoenix, Ariz., John Clayton and wife, Debbie of Phoenix, Ariz., Christopher Leech and wife, Janet of Jacksonville, Fla., Randy Leech of Cortez, and Michelle Johnson and husband, Jimmie of Cahone; by 19 great grandchildren and five great great grandchildren; and by two brothers, Jess West of Chino, Calif. and Earl West of Tonkawa, Okla. Orvetta was preceded in death by her parents; husband, George Clayton; son, Jack Clayton; and siblings, Juanita, Oletta, Holly, Jacquline, and an infant brother. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Orvetta Clayton with Hope's Kitchen or The Bridge Emergency Shelter.