Barbara "Bobbie" L. Clayton

Barbara “Bobbie” Langdon Clayton, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away early in the morning on December 15, 2020 at the age of 89.

Bobbie was born December 1, 1931 in New York, NY to Arthur and Pauline Langdon, an ever-adoring younger sister to her brother, Arthur “Art” Langdon. In 1953, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Wooster in Ohio and went on to do graduate work at Columbia Teachers College (Class of 1955) at Columbia University in NY, ultimately teaching physical education and health to high school students. On February 11, 1956, she married the love of her life Raymond A. Clayton with whom she raised two sons, Matthew and Mark.

Bobbie was a long-time member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Flemington NJ.

Bobbie was an avid hiker and a lover of adventure. A member of the 4000-Footer Club of the White Mountains, Appalachian Mountain Club, she climbed all 48 peaks over 4,000 feet in New Hampshire. As an award-winning author, her love of New England was evident in the multiple volumes she wrote, including Historic Coastal New England, Guide to Flemington, Exploring Coastal Massachusetts, among other books and articles. She was always eager to travel, taking particular pride in her multiple trips to Kenya, the Galapagos Islands and Egypt – and she was always ready with a tale of a friendship made on the road or a photo of an animal encountered in the wild.

The people she met had a profound impact on her, whether those relationships were born overseas or just down the road. She felt compelled to respond to suffering wherever she encountered it through her many years of service and charitable work, including serving in leadership roles for the Good News Home for Women, a rehabilitation initiative for women in New Jersey. Bobbie was most proud, though, of the work she did as a Stephen Minister – dating all the way back to 1989 – accompanying those struggling with loss, hardship, or grief. Whether she was serving as Stephen Minister, a grandmother or a friend, Bobbie was always there to listen, to support and help you get in touch with your best self. “Dream dreams and follow those dreams,” she would often say.

Bobbie was able to accomplish so much due in large part to her tremendous faith in God, her rootedness in her church community and through the love of her family. She went by many names: Mom, Ma, Nana, Bobbie – but ultimately was known for that greatest of virtues which she embodied: love.

She is survived by her sons, Matthew and Mark, her daughters-in-law, Joanne and Dawn, her grandchildren, Joshua (and Meghan), Nikki, Eric (and Allison), and Alexander, and her three great-grandchildren, James (son of Josh and Meghan) and Elianna and Camira (daughters of Eric and Alli).

A private graveside service and burial, next to her beloved husband Raymond, will take place at Prospect Hill Cemetery, Capner Street, Flemington, NJ. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822.

Due to the pandemic, a memorial service will be planned for a later date at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Flemington. Please check this webpage for updated details.

Memorial contributions in Bobbie’s name may be made to the Good News Home for Women, 33 Bartles Corner Road, Flemington, NJ 08822.

For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.