Services for Clayton Blue, 84 of Russell will be Monday, December 2, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at the Faith United Methodist Church in Russell. Family will receive friends Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton. Memorials may be made to the Faith United Methodist Church in Russell, First Baptist Church in Russell, Russell First Responders, or the Legacy Lodge Hospice House.
Clayton Blue, the eldest of three children of Warren and Audrey Drake Blue was born March 11, 1929. He was born and raised on the Blue Century Farm south of Russell, Iowa where he attended Pleasant Mound Country School. He also attended the rural Center Community Church and later the First Baptist Church in Russell. As a youth he was an avid trapper and hunter becoming a proficient marksman. He graduated from Russell High School with the Class of 1948. Following graduation he was employed at the Gamble Store in Chariton. He later started farming with his father. On December 2, 1950 he was united in marriage to Patricia Wright, his high school sweetheart, at the First Baptist Church in Russell.
They lived on a farm east of Russell where they raised their six children. Clayton was an advocate of conservation practices and received an award for achievement in soil conservation from the Chariton Lions Club in 1954. He attended many Farm Progress Shows and State Fairs, as he was always interested in learning new innovations in farming practices. In addition to raising crops and livestock he built a silo and fed cattle.
He was a member of the Russell Sportsman Club for several years. He became interested in flying and acquired his pilot's license and was owner of a Piper Cub plane. He became active in the commodity market and was a general partner in the Iowa Commodity Fund. He also had various business interests and purchased the Maid-Rite Company. While he owned the company he expanded from around 40 stores to 180 stores.
Clayton was a people person and always enjoyed visiting and having coffee with friends. However his favorite times were spent with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, whom he referred to as his "little rascals".
Clayton passed away November 28, 2013 at the Legacy Lodge Hospice House in Chariton. In addition to his parents; he was preceded in death by his brother, Dr. Gerald Blue; great grandson, Max Daniel Sander; and a brother-in-law Raymond Stevenson.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Pat Blue; children: Denise (Pat) Conway, Dan (Wendy) Blue, Julie (Mark) Presley, Jana Anthony, Schuyler Blue, and Scarlett (Jason) Summers; 12 grandchildren: Morgan McCullough, Megan (Mike) Arnold, Jeremy (Dana) Blue, Jenny (Scott) McGee, Jamie (Jeremy) Sander, Tyler (Lindsey) Offenburger, April Dyer, Marcus Woods, Alyssa Anthony, Alexa Anthony, Christian Summers, and Kinnick Summers; and 13 great grandchildren: Graden, Cutler, Kyzer, and Elsie Arnold; Lane and Chasen Blue and Ashten (Gehrig) Sinclair; Ryder, Addie, and Bailey McGee; Jacob Sander; Leah and Hudson Offenburger. Also surviving are a sister, Barbara Stevenson; sister-in-law, Suzanne Blue; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
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