Clayton Leroy Howard

Clayton Leroy Howard, 81, formerly of Newport, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2020, at St. Joseph Medical Center, in Polson, Montana.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2020, at Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City. In keeping with the CDC guidelines pertaining to the Coronavirus, those who are ill or at-risk (elderly, immune-compromised) are encouraged to stay home. Additionally, there will be a limit to the number of people in the building at one time, as well, those who attend will be asked to bring and wear a protective mask. Upon entering, guests will be asked health questions and their temperatures will be taken. Help us honor the Howard family while practicing safe measures. For those unable to attend, the family invites you to view the webcasting of the service which will be available at the bottom of this website page. The video will be available for viewing for 90 days. Friends are also encouraged to leave words of comfort to the family through the website.

A private internment will take place Amariah Garner Cemetery in Newport.

Clayton was born on August 2, 1938 in Newport, North Carolina. He was the son of Moses Clayton and Jessie Lee Simmons Howard. He attended schools in Newport and graduated from Newport Consolidated High School in 1956. In 1961, he enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1963. Clayton worked as an installer for the telephone company, a pipe fitter for a nuclear plant and later in life, owned and operated a used car lot and storage units in Springfield, Georgia from which he retired.

Clayton married Virginia Nance and they spent over 35 years together, before she passed away. One thing they enjoyed was RV’ing all over the country and spending their winters in Arizona. On one of their trips while in Montana, they went over Polson Hill and saw Flathead Lake. Clayton said, “Virginia, I think this is where we’ll retire!” They purchased property and made Montana their home.

After Virginia’s passing, Clayton would visit family and friends in North Carolina. It was on one of these trips that he was reacquainted with a former classmate, Justine Henderson, while at their class reunion. They later married and were able to spend four years together, until Clayton’s passing.

Clayton was a true animal lover. He always had a soft spot in his heart for his animals, which included many horses, dogs and cats.

Clayton is survived by his wife, Justine Blizzard-Howard; sister, Barbara Howard Biggerstaff of Newport; brother, Larry Howard and wife Sharon of Newport; step-son, James Nance of California; step-son and daughter-in-law; step-daughter and son-in-law; as well as nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Virginia, and son, Ron Howard.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.