Helena Jane 'Jane' Clayton Obituary (1931 - 2016)

N.CHELMSFORD-Helena Jane (Loney) Clayton, 85, passed away on Tuesday September 6, 2016 with her daughter at her bedside after a long period of declining health related to Alzheimer's Disease. Prior to her recent move to the Palm Center in Chelmsford, she was lovingly cared for at home by her devoted husband of 60 years. Born in Boston on January 1, 1931, Jane was the daughter of the late James and Alva (Newhall) Loney and the only sibling of Joan Marie (Loney) Neal of Charlotte, NC who predeceased her. Prior to her marriage to Robert E. Clayton, Sr. (who survives her) on May 27, 1956, Jane lived in Belmont, MA, Weymouth, MA (where she graduated with the class of 1948) and Hingham, MA. She received a degree in Junior Accounting from Burdett College in 1948 and then went to work at H.P.Hood and Sons in Quincy, MA where she met her husband. As a result of job transfers and promotions, the couple resided in Braintree,MA; Paxton, MA; and Swansea,MA prior to settling in Chelmsford in 1969. In addition to raising her children and providing care for both her mother and mother-in-law in their later years, Jane had been a Girl Scout leader, a member of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Swansea Volunteer Fire Department as well as working outside the home. She was employed in multiple manufacturing jobs, as a teacher aide at Byam School and as a accounts payable clerk for Purity Supreme, Interstate Container and Bomack Knife Company before retiring at the age of 70. To promote her job skills, she had taken courses at Northern Essex Community College and at the Computer Ed Institute. Her hobbies included water color painting, reading, traveling with tour groups, gardening (with the Golden Chain Garden Club) golfing (on a league at Apple Country Club) music/theater and swimming (as a member of the Chelmsford Senior Center). She was a proud and devoted grandmother to her five grandchildren and rarely missed dance recitals, baton competitions, parades, soccer games, baseball games, award ceremonies and graduations. Jane was predeceased by her only son, Robert E. Clayton who died tragically at the age of 35 due to cancer. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter , Donna (Clayton) Proulx (who recently left her home in Londonderry, NH to care for her) along with her adult children Nicole Proulx of Goffstown, NH; Jared Proulx of Seattle, WA and Danielle Proulx of Manchester, NH; her daughter-in-law, Jane (Cadarette) Clayton of Derry, NH along with her adult children Jessica (Clayton) Shattuck of Albany, NY; and Jennifer Clayton of Madbury, NH. She is also survived by a step daughter, Roberta Lambiase of Cooksville, TN along with her children and grandchildren as well as a brother-in-law Jerry Neal of South Carolina and his family. At the request of her family, private services were held on Monday, September 12, 2016 followed by burial at the family plot at Forest Hills Cemetery in Derry, NH. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer that those who wish make donations in loving memory of Jane to: the Alzheimer's Disease Research 22512 Gateway Center Drive P.O. Box 1950 Clarksburg, MD 20871 or the Social Adult Day Program at Chelmsford Senior Center. Service Information Private 24 Worthen Street Chelmsford, MA 01824 Interment Location Forest Hill Cemetery Cemetery Road Derry, NH 03038