Clayton S. Spinney

Clayton Sherman Spinney, 87, of Sanford, ME, passed away in Sanford on August 27, 2010. He was born June 22, 1923, in Portsmouth, NH, the son of the late Sherman Spinney and Gertrude (Hutton) Spinney Stouffer. Like many young men of the "greatest generation," his education was interrupted by World War II. He served from April 1943 to December 1945 in the U.S. Navy, serving on LST 557 in the Pacific Theatre where he took part in several island invasions in The Philippines, including Layte and Luzon, and Okinawa. He attained the rank of Acting Chief Motor Machinist Mate First Class. To honor his service to his country, his children have memorialized Clayton at the Heroes Wall in Portland, ME.Upon return to his young family in his hometown of Newington, NH, he continued his 30-year career with the Morley Company in Portsmouth, retiring in 1970 as Vice President of Sales. While a resident of Newington, he served on the School Board.In 1952, when his Newington property became part of Pease Air Force Base, he and his father built a new family home in Greenland, NH, where his public service continued with three years as a Selectman and three years on the Southeastern NH Planning Board. During his working years, he was a dedicated member of the Portsmouth Kiwanis and the Rivermouth Chapter of the Eastern Star, and was a 62 year member of St. Andrews Lodge 56, A.F. & A.M., past member of Scottish Rite, Valley of Nashua, NH, and past member of Bektash Shrine of Concord, NH. In addition, he was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.In his retirement years, he was known by family, friends and neighbors as "Mr. Fix It" and many a broken article was dropped off at his "shop" in Acton, ME. Over those years, he became an accomplished wood carver of loons, woodland creatures, canes and clocks.He was predeceased by his wife, Frances Friguiliett Spinney and is survived by his son Richard R. Spinney and family of Texas, daughter Brenda L. Richards and family of Delaware, daughter Linda L. Campbell and family of Florida, son Clayton S. Spinney II and family of Maine, step-daughter Anita Hoffmann and family and step-son Albert Friguiliett and family, all of Massachusetts, as well as his four sisters, Helen Grimbilas, Marjorie Rodgers, Phyllis Hopkins, and Shirley Keene. Burial will be private at the Harmony Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth. Arrangements are under the direction of the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale.Condolences may be expressed at www.blackfuneralhomes.comThose planning an expression of sympathy the family suggests a donation of your choice, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Northern New England Branch, 175 Ammon Drive., Suite 201, Manchester, NH 03103 or the Alzheimer's Association, 170 US RT 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105.