Max Bernard Clayton

Max Bernard Clayton, 81, of Longs passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach.

Max was born in Henderson, N.C., on Sept. 20, 1938, the youngest son of Katy Thelma (Briggs) and Zina Clayton, with two older brothers, Roscoe and James.

He graduated from Elon College in 1961, began teaching, coaching baseball and married his college sweetheart, Judith Elliott Clayton. They moved to Charlotte, N.C., in 1969, where he began a career in banking and mortgage lending which lasted over 33 years and took him to Atlanta and Gainesville, Ga. In 1991, he moved to North Myrtle Beach working for Crestar Mortgage and ending his working life as a school bus driver for North Myrtle Beach High School in 2015.

He is beloved by many friends and family members and his hobbies included joke-telling, golf, strumming guitar and singing (a.k.a. Johnny Cash), convertibles, card-playing and sharing the philosophies of Jesus Christ, his Savior and Guide.

Max is survived by his wife, Judith, and three daughters, Kristin Knezevic and husband Bojan, Susan Hoffman and husband Joe and Ann Clayton Leichle and husband Thierry; and six grandchildren, Joey, Clayton, Maia, Max, Liam and Alex.

He was a loving husband and a dedicated father. A celebration of his life is being planned for mid-July at Lee Funeral Home of Little River.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Hospital (www.stjude.org ).

An online guest book is available at www.dignitymemorial.com.

Lee Funeral Home & Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.