Guy Raymond Claybourn
The Seventh Child of Cashus Claybourn
20 August 1897 - 1963

Biographical Sketch

Guy Raymond was born on 20 August 1897 in Kell, Illinois. In June of 1918 he enlisted in the armed services and served during World War I. In August of 1918 he set out overseas and served in England, France and Belgium. He returned in August of 1919 as a Sergeant. Upon returning Guy worked for Texaco as a bulk gasoline dealer and later as a realtor in Palacious.

On 29 April 1920 he married Blanche Louise Kirkwold (born 29 April 1898 in Starbuck, Minnesota), the daughter of Henry and Julia Kirkwold of Norwegian descent. Guy died in 1963 and Blanche in 1983.

Pedigree Chart

						Ephraim Claybourn 1788 - 1850
				William Divine Claybourn 1819 - 1896
						Mary "Polly" Browning 1792 - 1874
		Cashus M. Columbus Theodore Claybourn 1880 - 1936
						Reuben Hawker b. 1794
				Frances Alla Hawker 1820 - 1863
						Nancy Hawker b. 1796
Guy Raymond Claybourn 1897 - 1963
				Rev. James Jackson Williams
		Rose Anna Caldonia Williams 1865 - 1944
				Sophronia Jane Bryant

Descendants

1. Guy Raymond Claybourn, Jr. was born on 13 May 1921 in Palacious, Texas. He graduated in 1937 from Palacios High School. In 1939 he attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps but quotas were full, so he worked as a carpenter's helper on construction at Camp Hulen, the camp being converted into an anti-aircraft training center.

   In December of 1940 Guy traveled to Burbank, Calif., where he learned sheet metal work and began at Lockheed Aircraft working on the Lockheed YP-38 airplane, being promoted to leadman on the Fuselage/Center Section. He bought a bicycle instead of a car and used funds for flying lessons, beginning in August of 1941. On 7 December 1941 he was making the pilot-license required solo cross-country flight; upon return to home base he was informed of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thereafter all non-airline civil flying was grounded within 150 miles of the coast.

   In May of 1942 he applied for the Civilian Pilot Training Program as an enlisted reservist, and was sworn in as a private at Fort Sill, Okla. on 17 October 1942. In January 1943 he reported to Waco Army Flying School for Liaison Pilot Rating check ride and was promoted to staff sergeant. In May 1943 he joined the 935 Field Artillery Battalion as a liaison pilot and remained with that group until September 1945. The battalion served in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. On 23 June 1944 he received a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery.

   Guy flew 252 missions in an Artillery Observation Plane during World War II. After remaining in Germany until March 1946, he was released to reserve status and began the "G.I." Bill study at the University of Houston, graduating with a bachelor's degree. Guy married on February 1, 1951 (on the same day as his brother Marshall) to Lucille Tolison (born February 1, 1921 in Palacious).

   In July 1951 he was recalled to active duty and joined the 999 Armored Field Artillery Battalion with the Eighth U.S. Army. He arrived in Korea in February 1952, joining the 204th Signal Battalion Aviation Section as a courier pilot until April 1953. Thereafter he served at Fort Monroe, Va., where he was promoted to captain. His service included duties at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Missouri, Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, and Fort Belvoir, Va. He was promoted to major and served in Vietnam as a liaison and courier pilot, thereafter being assigned to Fort Wolters, Texas.

   In March of 1968, at Fort Wolters, Texas, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, Master Army Aviator, with 8,234 hours of flying time in 20 years of active duty service. Guy had served in Africa, Italy, France, German, and Korea, among others. For all of those service years, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal (5 Campaign Stars), World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (3 Campaign Stars), Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 20-year device), United Nations Service Medal and Republic of Vietnam Medal.

   Guy penned a lengthy and extensive essay on his experiences in the various wars in the Palacios Beacon Online, and his subsequent career as an officer in the Air Force. Click here to read that piece, which contains several photographs of him.

   Guy was a Charter Member of the Army Aviation Association, the U. S. Army Association, the P-38 Association, the Washington Artillery Veterans Association, National Museum of the United States Army, and the Cecil Lee American Legion Post 649. He was a railroad 'buff' and enjoyed railroading around the country, being members of railroad associations and the Lone Star Region National Model Railroad Association. He was a founding board member of the Palacios Area Historical Association, serving terms as secretary, and thereafter as a many-talented volunteer. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Palacios, and served as greeter. He was a member of the Matagorda County Historical Commission and the County Museum.

   Guy died on 22 August 2010 and is buried at Hawley Cemetery in Blessing [Victoria Advocate, Obituary, published on 26 August 2010.]. Although Guy and Lucille had no biological children, the couple did adopt two children in Germany, listed below. Guy married (2nd) to Colleen Penland in 1972. Colleen had three daughters from a previous marriage.

   1. Clayton Allan Claybourn was born 16 October 1957 in Heidelburg. He married Holly, and together they had at least one child, listed below.
      1. Garrett Harrison Claybourn is a 2002 graduate of Palacios High School and a graduate of Wharton County College with a degree in Radiological Technology [Hopmann-Claybourn wedding announcement, Victoria Advocate, published on 20 September 2009.]. He is employed by Memorial Medical Center in Port Lavaca as Radiological Technologist. He married Tera Nicole Hopmann on 24 October 2009 at First Baptist Church in Port Lavaca, Texas. Tera is a 2000 graduate of Calhoun High School and a 2003 graduate of Victoria College with a Registered Nurse Associates degree. She is employed by Healthforce Home Health as a Registered Nurse. The couple had an infant son, Reid Harrison Claybourn, who passed away on 13 August 2011.

   2. Carolyn Guillain Claybourn was born 29 December 1957.

2. Marian Louise Claybourn was born 13 May 1923 in Palacious, Texas. She married on 29 June 1941 to Louis Edward Curran (born 18 August 1915 in Cameron, Texas). Louis worked for Schlumberger Oil Corp. and the two lived in Houston, Texas. Marion died on 15 April 1979. They had two children:

   1. Louis Edward Curran, Jr. was born on 13 April 1942 in El Campo, Texas. He underwent several serious heart operations. He operated a company called C&D Equipment in Cincinnati, Ohio.

   2. Guy Kirkwold "Kirk" Curran was born on 26 December 1945 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He served as a Lt. Col. and as a Master Army Aviator. He was stationed at the Pentagon and was responsible for all fixed wing aircraft owned by the U.S. Army.

3. Henry Marshall Claybourn was born 16 April 1925 in Elk City, Oklahoma and served in the Korean conflict. He earned a B.S. from the University of Houston in 1951 and an M.S. from Mississippi State University in 1959 in Mechanical Engineering. The bulk of his career was spent with Cessna Aircraft Co. With Cessna he worked as an aero dynamicist, a utility pilot, and engineering test pilot, wherein he would help design and test numerous Cessna models. He particularly loved "soaring," which unlike "gliding" involves a craft that gains altitude or speed from rising air. In 1969 he was inducted into the "Soaring Hall of Fame", which recognizes who have made significant contributions to the sport of soaring. The following year an award named in his honor was established by the 1-26 Association which recognizes the pilot who makes the longest straight line 1-26 flight during a calendar year (the 1-26 is a type of soaring plane). He lived at 8034 Levitt, Wichita, Kansas. He married Bettye Lou Norfleet, a third cousin, on 1 February 1951. Bettye Lou was born on 13 January 1925 as the daughter of George Norfleet and Lucy Belle Claybourn. They had at least two children:

   1. Henry Marshall Claybourn, Jr. ("Hank"), born 28 January 1953

   2. Celia Kay Claybourn ("Kay") was born in November of 1959. She did post-graduate work at Texas A&M University.

   3. John Norfleet Claybourn.

4. Lura Nell Claybourn was born 15 June 1929 in Elk City, Oklahoma and married on 14 February 1948 to Robert Gainer Raplee, a veterinarian who was born 31 October 1924 in San Francisco, California. The lived at 812 Nauearle St., Nashville, Tennessee, and had four children:

   1. Robert Claybourn Raplee, born 1 October 1950 in Palacious, Texas

   2. Richard Claybourn Raplee ("Rick") born 12 June 1953 in Columbus, Georgia

   3. Rebecca Patriia Louise Raplee, born 2 October 1954 in Nashville, Tennessee

   4. Randell Claybourn Raplee, born 10 June 1956 in Nashville, Tennessee

   Lura married (2nd) Ray Edwin Anders, a retired Lt. Col.

5. James Kirkwold Claybourn ("Jimmy") was born on 22 March 1931 in Elk City, Oklahoma. He served in the U.S. Army from 1949-1950 in radar and electronics, and then transferred to the Air Force, serving until 1954. Soon after returning home in 1955 he was in an automobile accident and injured his leg. Jimmy's curiosity about the world was evidenced by his voracious reading about nature, science, poetry, current events, history and everything new to him. He enjoyed fishing, repairing electronic equipment and gardening with his wife. He and Dorothy loved the outdoors and traveling. One of their favorite destinations was the Big Bend National Park in West Texas. He loved to laugh and always had a joke handy. Jimmy died on 13 January 2008 in Coos Bay and is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

6. Joanne Blanche Claybourn was born 26 October 1932 in Palacious, Texas and married 2 May 1953 to Carl Talmadge Dyson of Palacious (born 3 June 1933). They lived in Point Comfort, Texas, and had three children:

   1. Carl Clayton Dyson was born on 5 March 1956 in Ganado, Texas. He married Linda Diana Kasper on 11 June 1977 at El Campo, Texas.
      1. Cheryl Christine Dyson was born on 20 March 1978 at Wharton, Texas.
      2. Christopher Carl Dyson was born on 5 June 1981 at Wharton, Texas.

   2. Carla Diana Dyson was born on 21 August 1957 in Ganado, Texas. She married Dennis Dixon Hunt on 29 May 1973 at LaWard, Texas.
      1. Anthony Dixon Hunt was born 5 September 1973 at Wharton, Texas.
      2. Dennis Brian Hunt was born on 4 January 1978 at Wharton, Texas.

   3. Sandy Bader Dyson was born on 22 August 1959 and married Ruby Annette Becjer on 23 July 1983 in Inez, Texas.

   4. Phillip Keith Dyson was born on 30 September 1962 and died on 4 June 1979 as a result of an oil field accident. He is buried in Red Bluff Cemetary in Lolita, Texas.

7. Jon Norfleet Claybourn was born in June of 1941 in El Campo, Texas. He graduated from high school in Palacious, Texas in 1959 and entered college that same year. He married Wynona Mangum Lane in 1960 and they had three children:

   1. Jon Norfleet Claybourn, Jr. was born on 19 May 1961.

   2. Guy Lane Claybourn was born on 12 July 1962.

   3. Michael