Weldon Clayton

Coleman Funeral Home of Olive Branch Weldon Raymond Clayton passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on July 2, 2026, after living valiantly with Parkinson’s disease for the past decade. Weldon was born on October 17, 1953, to Weldon Fernando Clayton and Gertrude Holland Clayton in Malvern, Arkansas. Later moves took him to New Matamoras, Ohio, and New Johnsonville, Tennessee, before he settled in Memphis, Tennessee, and later moved to Southaven, Mississippi. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 42 years, Donna Wilson Clayton; his children, David Logan (Melanie), Kelly Slovik (Wally), and Natalie Clayton-Fancher (Morgan); his grandchildren, Conner Logan, Cole Logan, and Clayton Fancher; his sister, Linda Delong; his brother, Michael Clayton (Dianne); seven beloved nieces and five nephews; and many extended family members, dear friends, and pets. He was preceded in death by his parents, Weldon Fernando Clayton and Gertrude Holland Clayton, and his parents-in-law, Glen Keith Wilson, Sr. and Wanda Glasco Wilson. He graduated from Waverly Central High School in 1971 and attended Memphis State University. In 1989, he graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics. Flying was a major part of his life, with his dream beginning in childhood with a 50-cent plane ride at a local fair. He began flying lessons in his early teenage years. In his words, “I used money from my grocery job to pay for my lessons. Mom and Dad didn’t object; they let me pursue my dream.” He earned his pilot’s license as a teenager before he even obtained his driver’s license. He started flying for fun, then moved on to instructing private pilot students and even teaching aerobatic stunt flying. Among his students was Donna Wilson Logan, who would soon become his wife of 42 years. As the story goes, he never did charge Donna a cent for her instruction time. He learned to fly helicopters in 1984 and later served as a volunteer helicopter pilot for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department from 2008 to 2012. Weldon truly enjoyed the exciting flights he made while assisting with search-and-rescue operations. He never lost his love of or excitement for aviation throughout the years. He began his professional aviation career by flying for commuter airlines for 10 years, first for Scheduled Skyways and then for Northwest Airlink. In 1995, Weldon joined Northwest Airlines, making the move to a major international carrier. He continued his career through Northwest’s merger with Delta Air Lines and retired in March 2016. His flights took him all around the world, and he regularly flew to major cities in Europe and Asia, as well as throughout North, Central, and South America. He loved photographing the amazing places he visited through his work and sharing those photographs with his family and friends. He was proud to have landed a jet or private airplane in every state in the United States except Vermont. He even landed amphibious planes on the Mississippi River. He continued to fly and own private airplanes for as long as his health allowed, taking his family on many exciting trips around the country. Those who knew Weldon knew the vast range of his knowledge. He possessed an exceptional mind and a lifelong hunger to understand how things worked. His intelligence was evident not only in the complexity of the aircraft he flew, but also in the remarkable range of subjects that captured his interest. From aviation, electronics, ham radio (N5YW), machinery, emerging technology, reading, and gardening to watercolor painting, he remained endlessly curious. He was rarely content simply to know that something worked; he wanted to understand how and why. He was an excellent teacher and mentor who loved sharing his knowledge and interests not only with his children and grandchildren, but also with many of his nieces, nephews, and aspiring young pilots. Above all, Weldon deeply cherished his family. He was a gentle, witty, loyal, encouraging, and attentive spouse, father, and grandfather. He adored his son and daughters and was immensely proud of each of them, never missing an opportunity to brag about their accomplishments. He believed wholeheartedly in their abilities and instilled in them the belief that, with education, determination, and hard work, they could accomplish anything they set their minds to. He encouraged and supported each of his children to continuously pursue knowledge, to think for themselves, and to become the very best versions of themselves. His expectations were always high because his belief in them was even higher. That same pride and devotion extended to his three grandsons, who knew him as Pawpaw. He delighted in their interests and accomplishments and was always eager to share with others what they were learning and doing. He took enormous pride in the people his children and grandchildren were becoming. Of all he accomplished in his remarkable life, his family remained his greatest source of pride. He will be dearly missed, and his absence will be immeasurably felt by those who loved him. After a lifetime spent traveling the world, Weldon often said that no place in it ever meant as much to him as home with his family. Friends are invited to a visitation with the family at Broadway Baptist Church on Saturday, July 11, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. A funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. Dr. Brady Hanssen will officiate. In lieu of traditional flowers, memorials may be made to the Midsouth Parkinson Disease Foundation and Support Group at www.midsouthpdsupport.com. or a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be left on his tribute wall at www.colemanfuneralhomeob.com.

Weldon Clayton

October 17, 1953 - July 2, 2026

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