| Graduation Year | Class of 1971 |
| Date of Passing | Jul 06, 1975 |
| About | February 7, 1953 to July 6, 1975 posted TCH July 7, 1973 James G. Clayton Jr., 20 of Route 2 Box 2170, Kennewick, died Thursday in an auto accident. He was born in Big Spring, Texas, and was graduated in 1971 from Kennewick High School. He was a member of the Kennewick Baptist Church. Survivors are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James G Clayton; sisters Julie of Kennewick and Mrs. Tara Fisher, Hamlin, Texas. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Kennewick Baptist Church with the Rev. Vernon Holliday and the Rev Jesse Leonard officiating. Burial will be in Desert Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Mueller Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Finely Baptist Mission, Route 2 Box 2775 Kennewick. posted TCH July 7, 1973 2 KILLED IN CANAL DRIVE CRASH Two Tri-City men died today when their car hit a tree after plunging down a 25-foot embankment off Canal Drive at the Tri-Cites Country Club Golf course. Dead are Roy Scharnhorst Jr., 21 of 715 Hawthorne Place, Kennewick and James G. Clayton 20, of New Game Farm Road, Finley. Their vehicle, a Ford Pinto was involved in a three-car collision on Canal Drive shortly before it left the road. Also involved in the 2:10 A.M. Accident were Steve Halstead, 21 of 309 East Eighth Avenue, Kennewick, who was driving a Plymouth Barracuda, and Clifford Morgan, 31 of 6821 West Willamette Avenue, Kennewick, who was driving a pickup truck. Morgan was treated for a cut leg and released from Kennewick General Hospital. Halstead was not injured. Police say they don't know who was driving the Pinto, but it was registered to Clayton. The vehicle was eastbound on Canal Drive behind Halstead, who also was eastbound. Morgan's pick-up truck was westbound. Apparently, the Clayton car was attempting to pass Halstead, but was forced back into the eastbound lane because of the oncoming Morgan vehicle, police said. The front end of the Clayton car collided with the rear end of the Halstead car, causing a billiard ball effect, police reported. Halstead's car was knocked into the westbound lane and collided with the truck. In the meantime, the Clayton car was knocked to the right and went off the road. The Clayton car went down the embankment of the golf course and came to rest against a tree, 210 feet from where it left the road. Scharnhorst was thrown from the car and fund under the tree next to the car, Clayton was pinned inside. Police said it took two hours to remove the two men from the wreckage. Halstead's car was demolished as it collided nearly head-on with Morgan's vehicle. Scharnhorst, Clayton, and Halstead had been together during the evening, according to members of Halstead's family and all were close friends. Scharnhorst had gone home earlier in the evening to drop off his car and his parents said they thought he was still home until they were informed of his death. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Scharnhorst of Kennewick. He was born in Richland and lived in Tri-Cities all his life. A graduate of Kennewick High School, he was attending art school in Seattle. He is survived by his parents, a brother, Kevin 15, and two sisters, Leanna, 11 and Linda 22. Clayton had been a resident of the area since 1957 and was graduated from Kennewick High School in 1971. He had just been discharged from the Army and was engaged to marry Jeanne Rush of Kennewick. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Clayton, Kennewick, a sister Julie 23, and a sister Tara Fisher 26 of Hamlin, TX. |
