- Visitation
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
St. Paul United church of Christ
Lebanon, IL
- Service
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
1:00 p.m.
St. Paul United church of Christ
Lebanon, IL
- Full Obituary
Sally Clayton (nee Pfeffer), 82, of Lebanon, IL born in St. Louis, MO, June 2, 1927 died on March 14, 2010 at Cedar Ridge Health Care Center in Lebanon, IL.
Sally was a retired teacher and attorney. She grew up in Lebanon and received most of her grade and high school education in the Lebanon School system. She spent one year at Monticello Preparatory Academy before enrolling in the U of I at Champaign-Urbana. Sally started her college studies as a Chemistry major, but soon changed to French. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 1948 with a degree in French Studies. She graduated Magna Cum Laude, a member of Phi Beta Kappa honorary society and as a U of I Bronze Tablet student. Her scholastic achievemnts in college were rewarded with a French government scholarship to the Sorbonne. She then spent the following year in Paris studying at the Sorbonne.
Upon her return to the United States she worked for several years as a buyer for May Company Department Stores. It was during her time at the May Company that she met her future husband, Charles F. Clayton. Sally and Charlie were married on May 30, 1956. That year, Sally started teaching the third and fourth grade at Summerfield Grade School. After several years in Summerfield, she moved to a teaching position at Lebanon High School, where she started teaching Physical Science and then taught both French and Latin until 1977.
Sally retired from teaching in 1977 after serving over 20 years as a teacher at both Lebanon and Summerfield. Searching for a new challenge - at a time when many people are starting to contemplate retirement - she enrolled in St. Louis University Law School in the fall of 1977 at age 50. She attended law school from 1977 to 1980 graduating at age 53 with a Juris Doctor degree. She began her law career as an asociate of Attorney Delmar Koebel, a long-time Lebanon resident. She was a candidate for the position of St. Clair County State's Attorney in 1984. She then began her own law practice, which was located in a small house behind her residence on Belleville Street in Lebanon. She also served as the City Attorney of Lebanon for 20 years. Sally retired from the practice of law in 2004 at the age of 77.
Sally was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Martha (nee Saeger) Pfeffer, and by her brother, Thomas Pfeffer and her sister Thekla Levy (nee Pfeffer). Surviving are her husband, Charles Clayton, of Lebanon, IL; her daughter Ann (Tom) Pilackas of Lebanon, IL, and her son Tom (Krista) Clayton of Godfrey, IL, her grandchildren, John Pilackas, Tom Pilackas, Paul Pilackas, Sarah Clayton, and Samantha Clayton, and by her brother John (Linda) Pfeffer and many nieces and nephews.
Sally enjoyed golf, reading, playing the piano and being with her many friends. She relished new challenges. She was an exacting person, and as a teacher never failed to bring out the very best in her students. She will be sadly missed by family, friends, associates, and many former students.
VISITATION: Tuesday, March 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul United church of Christ, Lebanon, IL with a Memorial Service following at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Don Wagner officiating.
MEMORIALS may be made to St. Paul UCC , Lebanon. IL.
MEYER FUNERAL HOME, LEBANON, IL
