Robert L. Clayton III

1983 - 2026

Robert L. Clayton III
Born: May 1, 1983 in Elimsport, Pennsylvania
Died: February 27, 2026 in Granville, Illinois
Robert L Clayton III, 42, of Granville Illinois passed away after a prolonged illness at his home on February 27, 2026.
Bob was the husband of Rhianna Clayton and the father to daughter Melody Marie Clayton (20) of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and son Matthew James Clayton (14) of Wheaton, Illinois.
Bob was born in Elimsport, Pennsylvania and he spent his early childhood playing on his grandparent's farm, fishing in the local creeks, and four-wheeling. Later, he lived in Naperville, Illinois, where he graduated Naperville Central High School in 2001. His love and passion for life was music. At age ten he developed an interest in drumming and so as a compromise for sanity, his parents bought him his first real guitar, a black Gibson hereafter named Excalibur. With that, he never stopped. That guitar followed him throughout all the trials and travails of life. Having no interest in formal instruction Bob proceeded to learn, by ear that first year, every Metallica song ever written. A special shout out to the Black Album. His love for rock was unsatisfied: he read music magazines front to back, he talked musicians and bands, he researched and learned equipment, and from there on he established an admirable collection of music equipment through the years. Bob instinctively played any instrument put in front of him with no effort. And somewhere, deep in his veins, music flowed. He became our walking encyclopedia of music and musician knowledge.
Bob was always in a band from his teenage years garage bands to professional bands such as Instant Decay, Silence the Witness, and Riotous Indignation. Throughout those years he bonded with a talented group of musicians who became his friends for life. They wrote, produced, and played shows in many states, completed an infamous van tour, and reached top charts internationally for that style of music.
While Bob played guitar with the bands, what he always said was that you can get a guitar player anywhere but what a band really needs is a good drummer, and so, Bob procured the long-awaited drum set and he never looked back. He fine tuned his skills as a speed metal drummer and gave the bands what they needed. In the last year of his life, Bob reached out and was passionate about resurrecting Riotous Indignation toward a final recut tribute CD.
Bob also had a love for cooking and construction work and throughout his life worked as both. His final position at the Clover Club in Granville, Illinois, gave him many years of laughter and good friendships.
Bob is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather Richard T Harding of Elimsport, Pennsylvania and the two of them are somewhere together discussing music and namely, Ol' Satchmo.
Bob will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He leaves behind many, many friends and family with broken hearts. As his Aunt Lori fondly remembered, "There was nothing like a conversation with Bobby. He knew a lot about a lot but told it with humor." Bob would not want to say goodbye without giving a final shoutout to his influencers: Ozzy, Randy Rhoades, Dimebag Darrell, Slayer, Tool, Django Reinhardt, Metallica, Batman, and his forever loved Pop and Gram.
Funeral plans are reserved for a later date with eventual interment at Elimsport, Pennsylvania. A private celebration of life is being planned.
Dysart – Cofoid Funeral Chapel will be assisting the family with the arrangements.
Online condolences may be made to his family at www.dcfunerals.com