Virginia June Clayton

1922 - 2011

In 1939, a sincere 17-year-old girl wrote the following "resolutions." More than 71 years later, still striving to perfect this thoughtful list, Virginia June Clayton closed her eyes in death. Virginia died at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital May 11, 2011.
Resolutions: 1. To be a better girl. 2. To be kinder to mom and dad. 3. To be always truthful. 4. To make the best of everything. 5. To make every effort count. 6. To climb up many rungs toward my goal. 7. To believe in God -always. 8. To trust Him. 9. To learn to know Him better so I will not climb my ladder alone. 10. To keep going -never rest - strive to conquer. 11. To not slip back a rung - keep steadily onward. 12. To read my Bible often and finish it this year of 1939. 13. To be generous. 14. To be kind and polite to all. 15. To keep my diary. 16. To conquer my faults. 17. To fight toward my light. 18. To get closer this year than ever before. 19. To be a cleaner, finer, healthier and happier, God loving girl.
Born June 13, 1922, and known as Ginny, Virginia June Merrill grew up in Eastern Oregon and graduated from Baker City High School in 1939. Upon graduation, Ginny immediately set out to reach one of her goals. Earning money as a telephone operator, she paid her way and achieved not only a license to fly airplanes, but also to teach others how to do the same.
Soloing in a J-3 Cub on Dec. 7, 1941, was the best part of that day for Ginny. Of course Dec. 7, 1941, also was a day in the history of our nation and a time of serious business for a country defending freedom.
Ginny's first instructing efforts were with a Navy program. In later years, a few of her students voiced appreciation for her insistence in the "on-point landing" requirements. That training came in handy when those new, young pilots were landing on naval carriers, and missing the mark could have met with serious disaster.
Soon after the naval flight training program ended, Ginny was given the opportunity to transfer to Fairbanks and train ambitious young fliers. When she arrived at Week's Field, she did not go unnoticed, as there were no other female flight instructors. Needless to say, she was a big hit and had a waiting list for students. One student in particular held her in the highest regard. This student was George Clayton and soon after he soloed, under her direction, the two wed and spent 62 years together as husband and wife.
Ginny left her flying career behind as George polished his. Ginny tended to family business as mother of three children, while George supported the family with a flying career that spanned from flying a Gull-Wing Stinson on wheels, skis and floats, delivering mail along the Kuskokwim in 1949, to providing passenger service, flying the Boeing 737 between Anchorage and Seattle, until his retirement in 1980.
While George advanced his aviation career, Ginny kept working on that list of resolutions. Seeking God was ever important and she continued her search. In 1962, Ginny was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, having at last found the combination that felt ever-so-good in her heart. Ginny shared her faith with all she met, spending much time in a ministry service and becoming a spiritual mother and sister to many. Ginny will be missed by all her spiritual brothers and sisters, her family, and the general public who knew her only as "Bo Peep."
Ginny was preceded in death by her parents, George and Iva Merrill, her husband, George Capen Clayton, and her oldest daughter, Mary Christine Clayton.
She is survived by her son, Gregory Helm Clayton; daughter, Nancy Gail Petersen; granddaughters, Tanya Clayton-Godfrey (Wade Godfrey) and Naomi Clayton; grandsons, Nathaniel B. Petersen and Douglas S. Petersen; and great-grandson Jade Clayton (son of Naomi Clayton).
A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, May 21, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1247 Old Steese Highway. A reception will follow the service. Contributions may be made in her memory to Pioneer Air Museum at Pioneer Park for the preservation of Alaska aviation history, or to support the worldwide preaching work of Jehovah's Witnesses, c/o Treasurer's Office, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483.
Arrangements were entrusted to Fairbanks Funeral Home.