Clayton Stevens Grinnalds

Newport News

Clayton Stevens Grinnalds passed away March 30, 2012, after a brief illness.

He was born December 29, 1917 in Bloxom, Virginia, and there his heart remained all his life. After the death of his father, Thomas Jefferson Grinnalds, in 1934 and his graduation from Bloxom High School in 1935, he moved to the Virginia Peninsula to work and earn money to send to his mother, Edith Stevens Grinnalds, his younger sister, and two brothers.

In 1936 he was accepted into the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company Apprentice School. After graduation, he became a quarterman in the Main Machine Shop, where at one point he worked on the machining of the propeller shafts for the S.S. United States. After more than twenty years as a machinist, he became an Inspection Supervisor and remained in that position until his retirement in 1979.

Clayton was predeceased by his bother John Witmer Grinnalds and his sister Betty Grinnalds Arey. He is survived by his wife, Marian Noland Grinnalds of Newport News, his sons Terry Noland Grinnalds and wife Sue Wills of York County and Neil Byrd Grinnalds of Newport News; his grandson Ryan Scott Grinnalds of Klamath Falls, Oregon and his brother Thomas Jefferson Grinnalds of Silver Spring, Maryland.

Clayton was a proud member of the New York Chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati, and a member of the Bremond Masonic Lodge No. 241 A.F. & A.M. of Newport News. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. He enjoyed reading, fishing, and working with his hands. He was a good and kind man, and his sons grew up knowing if they wanted to see how to be good and decent men, they had only to look at their father. He will be missed by everyone who ever met him.

The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 7:30 PM on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 in the funeral home. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 in Peninsula Memorial Park with Rev. Jennifer Day officiating. Masonic Rites will be rendered at the grave.

Please leave condolences at www.wjsmithandsonfh.com.

Arrangements by W.J. Smith & Son Funeral Home.