Melody Joy Clayton

Melody Joy Clayton, 52, of rural Jonesboro, died Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

Born in Corinth, Mississippi, Melody was a 1979 graduate of McNairy Central High School in Selmer, Tennessee. She was a homemaker and moved to Jonesboro in 1983.

Melody was a member of Central Baptist Church where she was a teacher in the youth department. She taught pre-schoolers as well as the 9 year-old girls class for many years. Melody was a long-time secretary-treasurer of the Jonesboro Right-To-Life Chapter and home schooled all of her children from kindergarten through the 12th grade.

Melody was preceded in death by a daughter, Bethany Clayton, and by her father, Jimmy McClain.

Survivors include her husband, Tracy Clayton of the home;

2 daughters, Brandy (John) Shields of Jonesboro and Corrie Clayton of the home;

3 sons, Jeramy (Ashley) Clayton of Jonesboro, Jay Lee (Jennifer) Clayton of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Jesse Clayton of the home;

Her mother, Betty McClain of Gravel Hill, Tennessee;

2 sisters, Jan (Dennis) Parsons of Pickwick, Tennessee, and Sherry (Tommy) Crumby of Gravel Hill, Tennessee;

2 brothers, Jerry McClain and Mike (Susan) McClain, of Tennessee;

3 grandchildren, Joy Shields, Katie Shields and Bella Shields, and a fourth grandchild to arrive in November.

A Homecoming Celebration will be held Thursday evening at 6:15 at Central Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Martin officiating. Visitation will be held Thursday afternoon from 4:00-6:00 in the church preceding the memorial service. A private family committal service will be held Thursday in Nettleton Cemetery with Rev. Larry Bailey officiating with Emerson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers include Jeramy Clayton, Jay Lee Clayton, Jesse Clayton, Mike McClain, John Shields and Kris Riggs.

For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to Arkansas Right To Life, Attn. Rose Mimms, Executive Director, P.O. Box 1697, Little Rock, AR 72203, www.artl.org.