Clayton Cecil Marsh Jr.

A native Washingtonian, Clayton was born on January 2, 1919 to parents Clayton C. Marsh and Virginia Inez (Hutchison) Marsh. He lived most of his life in the nation’s capital and the nearby Maryland suburbs. His childhood memories from nearly a century ago included watching a team of white horses from the D.C. firehouse struggle to pull a water tank in a wagon up an icy hill. He recalled that gas lights illuminated the streets of his Brookland neighborhood at night and were lit each evening by a man named Guy.

From age 10 to age 15, Clayton had a paper route that required him to deliver both the morning and evening editions of the newspaper to his customers in northeast DC. It was not fun rising before dawn on cold, snowy mornings, but this early responsibility no doubt contributed to the strong work ethic that Clayton displayed throughout his life.

Clayton graduated from McKinley Tech High School and subsequently studied commercial art at Columbia Tech.

On August 31, 1940, Clayton married Bonnie Edwards, who was the love of his life. It was a match made in heaven and lasted 70 wonderful years. Together they had a daughter, Janet.

The young couple had just celebrated their second anniversary when Clayton was called to serve his country during WW II. As a member of the United States Army, 413th Field Artillery Battalion, Clayton spent the next three years in North Africa.

When he returned to the states, Clayton apprenticed as a dental technician and eventually opened his own laboratory, Pro-Bridge Dental, Inc., which served the Washington area for nearly 25 years. A master at merging art and science, Clayton specialized in making beautiful, well fitting crowns and bridges.

Clayton was always looking for ways to advance his chosen profession and was an active member of the Associated Dental Laboratories of the District of Columbia. He served in various capacities within the organization, including President, Vice President, and Sergeant-at-Arms.

Clayton’s skill and hard work paid off, and throughout his long retirement, he and his wife, Bonnie, were able to indulge their passion for travel. They enjoyed cruising and visited over thirty countries---many multiple times. The couple had a special vacation in 1975 when they traveled to Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. There Sergeant Marsh was able to show his wife the places he had seen thirty three years earlier during WWII.

Following Bonnie’s passing in 2010, Clayton moved to Friend’s House Retirement Community in Sandy Spring, Maryland where he spent four happy years. Often he could be found at his favorite restaurant, Nova Europa, exchanging good-natured banter with his favorite waiter, Sosa. When his family relocated to the Gulf Coast of Florida, Clayton came along for the adventure and soon settled into his beautiful studio apartment at Mease Manor in Dunedin. There he enjoyed the different aspects of the senior social scene, spending time and making memories with great friends like Barbara, Jack, and Stan just to name a few!

Clayton’s youthful optimism remained with him throughout his long life. He was enthusiastic, upbeat, positive, and cheerful. He had a great sense of humor and was always ready to share a joke, an encouraging word, or a helping hand. He possessed a grateful heart and was mindful of his many blessings. For most of his life, Clayton enjoyed good health and was independent and active up until the final six weeks.

It is not surprising that friends and family alike found Clayton to be an inspiration. He was a dear man and his devoted family loved and admired him so very much. Janet (daughter), Tom (son-in-law), Joseph (grandson), Molly (granddaughter-in-law), Leah (granddaughter), and Nathan, Josie, and Ruby (great-grandchildren) will hold his precious memory forever in their hearts.

Over the years Clayton and Bonnie worshipped at Brookland Baptist Church in Washington, DC, University Baptist Church in College Park, MD, and St. Luke Lutheran Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Forever a patriot, Clayton was also a member of the American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, Maryland where he enjoyed keeping in touch with friends from the “old neighborhood” in northeast DC.

Clayton will be interred alongside of his wife Bonnie in a columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery.