Clayton Robert Fuchs

1950 - 2024

Clayton Robert Fuchs, age 74, of Orono, MN peacefully succumbed to illness before dawn on Saturday, December 14, 2024.

Clayton was born in Long Prairie, MN on January 19, 1950 and was raised in Sauk Centre from the age of five. While attending high school, he earned Varsity letters in both football and basketball, and graduated in 1968. Clayton went on to attend Brown Institute in Minneapolis and then worked as a radio broadcast deejay in Long Prairie. In 1976, Clayton began his career at Federal Express (FedEx) - a company that valued his talent, suggestions, perfect attendance, and quality work with numerous awards and promotions from courier to trainer to senior dispatcher. The company became an important cornerstone of Clayton's identity during his 38 years of dedicated service.

While Clayton's work was as personal as it was professional, his personal life was a labor of generosity and hospitality. Immediately obvious to anyone he encountered, Clayton genuinely cared about people (and pets!) and was always interested to engage in conversations about whatever topics were important to them and regularly performed random acts of kindness. As such, he made countless friends - young and old, two-legged and four-legged - everywhere he went. He was a welcome guest, favorite patron, and considered honorary mayor of his neighborhood. He is remembered by colleagues, neighbors, lifelong friends, everyday associates, and even brief acquaintances, as a man of great humor and exceptional wit. He truly shone in his seasoned role as the life of any party and in his ability to connect and captivate.

Clayton is preceded in death by his parents Robert and Ardis Fuchs, his brother Darwin Fox, and his brother-in-law Gary Bergstrom.

He is survived by siblings Gary (Carol) Fuchs, Gayle Bergstrom, and Jan (Tom) Meyer; as well as his beloved niece and nephews. Also in mourning are Clayton's partner of over three decades, Deborah Butler, who fell in love with him as his trainee at FedEx in 1978; her daughters Breanne and Sarallyn who were blessed to have Clayton as a bonus "parent" from mid-childhood; and their children Collin, Lucy, Emma, and Landon. The kids were the apples of Clayton's eye and his role as their cherished "Papa" brought a new layer of meaning to his golden years. He attended sporting events, shopped, mini-golfed, and even braved ax throwing! They worked together on his landscaping or latest home improvement project, and he'd be sneaking them treats the whole time and including gold dollar coins in their birthday cards. His fun loving presence will be profoundly missed, and undoubtedly, it will echo into the next generation.

In honor of Clayton's significant impact on all of our lives, we will remember him together and celebrate his life and legacy on Friday, January 17, 2025 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at the American Legion Post 398 (2333 Wilshire Blvd, Mound, MN 55364). Remarks and open storytelling will commence at 6:00 PM. And in accord with the way it always was with Clayton, all are welcome.