Rick Clayton

Keith Ricky "Rick" Clayton
September 22, 1953 – July 19, 2025
With solemn hearts and tender memories, we celebrate the remarkable life of Keith Ricky Clayton-known to all simply as "Rick"-a deeply devoted husband, father, grandfather, public servant, and lifelong Texan whose presence left a lasting mark on every soul lucky enough to know him. Rick passed away peacefully on July 19, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas, the city of his birth and his beloved lifelong home. He was 71 years old.
Born on September 22, 1953, in Fort Worth to Hubert Daniel Clayton Sr. and Evelyn Lena Mae Anding-Clayton, Rick was a child of grit, grace, and boundless energy. He grew up in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, a place that shaped his roots, character, and enduring love for community. From an early age, Rick was industrious and determined-traits that would become hallmarks of his life. As a boy, he proudly delivered newspapers on his own route, rain or shine, learning the value of hard work and the pride that comes with earning one's way.
Rick also cherished the quieter joys of youth. Some of his fondest childhood memories were the sweet Saturday night traditions spent with his beloved grandmother: watching wrestling together and sharing ice cream. These moments became cherished rituals that anchored his heart in love and family.
Rick graduated from Arlington Heights High School, and by the age of 17, had already begun his life of service. He started his career at Ray Crowder Funeral Home as a dispatcher, and by 18, he was behind the wheel of an ambulance, racing through the streets of Fort Worth to serve those in crisis. His commitment to emergency care was pioneering-Rick attended the very first EMT school ever offered in Tarrant County, preparing him to deliver skilled and compassionate aid when it mattered most.
But Rick's calling reached even higher. In 1974, he enrolled himself in the police academy and began his law enforcement journey with the Kennedale Police Department. By 1977, he had found his professional home at the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, where he would spend the next 35 years in a career that would come to define his legacy.
Rick began with the S.T.E.P. Patrol program, a specialized initiative within the department, and by 1980 had transitioned into a radio patrolman role. It was there that his leadership and dedication shone-Rick was promoted through the ranks to Lieutenant and later moved into the Criminal Warrants Division. His skills and sharp investigative mind eventually brought him to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office and finally to the District Attorney's Office, where he served as a criminal investigator until his retirement in 2012. Throughout his career, Rick was a protector, a pursuer of truth, and an unwavering pillar of justice. His deep integrity, strength of character, and calm authority earned him not just respect, but admiration from colleagues and the community alike.
It was in the heart of this work that Rick met the love of his life, Glenda. She was a clerk in the warrants division when she first laid eyes on the officer in uniform who would one day become her husband. Love, at first sight, bloomed quickly. But it was at a political event for the Sheriff's Office where Glenda saw Rick again-this time in his perfectly starched jeans-and she knew without a doubt: he was the one. They were married on March 14, 1987, beginning a beautiful chapter of devotion, laughter, and partnership.
With his union to Glenda, Glenda became a loving stepmother to Keith Clayton Jr., and in 1989, their family grew once more with the birth of their daughter, Carissa. Rick cherished his role as a father. He was playful and present, kind and giving, always quick to don a Santa suit to delight his children and their friends. Even after long shifts, Rick made time for his daughter-sitting beside her to watch late-night reruns of The Golden Girls, their laughter echoing in the quiet hours.
Rick worked tirelessly to give his family a good life, pouring himself into overtime shifts so he could create lasting memories for those he loved. One of his proudest accomplishments was installing a swimming pool in the backyard-a haven of joy where children flipped through the air off his strong shoulders, where laughter rang out on summer nights, and where Rick became the "human platform" for backflips and fun.
Rick's passions were as unique as he was. A talented drummer, he kept the beat of life with style and flair. He had a deep and abiding love for music and shared many unforgettable concerts with Glenda. He had encyclopedic knowledge of classic cars and ambulances and a boyish fascination with the finest details of each one. He was a devoted radio listener, calling in song requests and staying updated with news long before smartphones. He could recite Back to the Future and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation word for word, and his impressions brought joy to those lucky enough to hear them. But truly, one of the things that both Glenda and Rick lived for was the upcoming NFL season each and every year. At first devoted to the Dallas Cowboys, as most native Texans would be, he stretched his love into all things NFL eventually admiring Patrick Mahomes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He and Glenda fervently anticipated the beginning of the NFL season and the beginning of training day camps, all the way through to the Super Bowl. No matter who is playing. This annual tradition gave Rick immense joy, as not only could he revel in the excitement, but he got as much pleasure from just the standpoint that Glenda had as much passion as he did and it was something they could experience together.
Rick loved the open road, traveling across the United States while serving in the Fugitive Division of the Sheriff's Office. He was a chili connoisseur, always chasing the next best bowl, savoring every bite as if it held a secret waiting to be discovered. But above all else, Rick was a man who gave of himself fully. To his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his coworkers, and his community-he gave loyalty, love, laughter, and a legacy that will not be forgotten.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Glenda Clayton; his daughter, Carissa Jones, and her husband Cameron; his son, Keith Clayton Jr., and his wife Lesley; and his cherished grandchildren: Cy, Natalie, Elliott, and Campbell. Their lives are each a living testament to the heart and strength of the man they called husband, dad, and "Po Po"
Rick was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert Daniel Clayton Sr. and Evelyn Lena Mae Anding-Clayton, and by his brother, Hubert "Dan" Clayton Jr., who greeted him with open arms in the life beyond.
A funeral service honoring the life and legacy of Keith Ricky Clayton will be held on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Azle Funeral Chapel, located on the peaceful grounds of Azleland Cemetery. There, in the stillness of a Texas afternoon, we will gather to remember the man who gave so much, protected so many, and lived with purpose, laughter, and love.
Though Rick has left this world, his spirit remains-in every note of music, in the rev of a classic engine, in the laughter of a child doing backflips into a summer pool. And in the hearts of those who love him, he lives on, eternally cherished, deeply missed, and forever remembered.