Silverton Continues to Watch Over Billy Clayton

died one week ago. He was a straight A student, he played ball and was an avid musician and reader. At 57, he was a man the community recognized. And for years, he lived in the woods. Billy Clayton died at his campsite in Silverton woods, his body discovered Dec. 8.

A graveside service for Clayton will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at Silverton Cemetery, located behind Silverton Memorial Funeral Home.

His obituary posted by Silverton Memorial features condolences for a man well-known in the Silverton community. Seen regularly along Hooper Avenue, not far from 7-11 where his campsite was located in the woods across the street, Clayton was a Silverton fixture. “Billy leaves behind a community, of young and old, who cared for him, understood him, and protected him,” went his obituary.

Whether that meant buying him a cup of coffee or something to eat, giving some money or listening to his stories, those who knew him or saw him regularly pitched in.

What he leaves behind, said Silverton Memorial Owner and Manager Paula De John, is proof that Silverton is a caring place.

“People just watched out,” she said. “They got him something if he needed it. It’s what the area of Silverton is all about. We watch out for each other."

De John often saw Clayton as she went about her work at the funeral home, but she remembers riding the bus to Toms River High School North with him.

“We all used to ride the bus together,” De John said. Her sister and Silverton Memorial co-owner, Teresa Intelisano, was a classmate of Clayton.

She and Intelisano will be among those paying their respects at the service tomorrow. Many are expected to attend the service, she said.

More than a dozen messages of condolence have been left on the Silverton Memorial obituary for Clayton through this evening.

De John said many individuals have come forward to offer donations to fund a monument stone for Clayton’s gravesite.

She said individuals hoping to donate or send flowers or gifts can call Silverton Memorial to make arrangements.

She said the funeral home has been contacted by individuals and a monument company to help arrange for Clayton’s gravesite.

“There’s really not one individual, but again, a community collectively sharing,” she said.

Everyone looked out for Billy.

“Silverton looked out for Billy throughout his life. We are taking care of him in death,” De John said.

Billy Clayton was born Oct. 14, 1954 and died Dec. 8, 2011.

His Silverton Memorial obituary page can be found, here.