Obituary of Charley Renee Clayton

Charley Renee Clayton, 26, of Fairmont WV passed away at her adopted city of Hollywood CA on July 18, 2022. Charley is survived by her family: parents Gary Clayton and Cathy Clayton, brother Garrett Clayton, of Fairmont WV; aunts Lisa Hutchinson, Rosemary Damis, Linda Straight, Kay Stevens, and Jane Headley; best friend Corinne Garnier, family friend Paula Crandall; as well as uncles, cousins, other extended family and many friends. Charley was preceded in death by Grandparents Dutch and Teak Campbell, Miles Gary Clayton and Barbara Clayton. Charley attended Fairmont Senior High School in Fairmont WV, graduating in 2014 with Highest Honors. This prepared her for Point Park College in Pittsburgh PA, where she again graduated with Highest Honors. While attending college, she was active in the pageant community in West Virginia, wearing a crown to represent various fairs and festivals throughout the state. After college, Charley worked for the Sodexo Corporation as a Marketing Manager at West Virginia University. After her time in Morgantown, she moved to Hollywood California to represent Sodexo at the Hollywood Bowl. At her passing, Charley was employed by Coast Hospitality Group of Orange County, California. Charley was active in cheerleading; she fell in love with the sport early on. She loved the sense of family, pushing yourself to do what's difficult, and the thrill of performing for a crowd. Charley began cheering with Fairmont’s Rockets, continued through middle school, then high school where she made it to the highest level you can in West Virginia, vying for a State Championship. She also cheered competitively on Fairmont’s All Stars Cheer Competition team. Charley was a great teammate, always encouraging others and keeping things fun! She continued to share, even after her cheer career had ended, by returning to her high school alma mater to work with the teams. Charley was mightily involved in WV pageantry in which she was a top competitor and won multiple titles in the fairs and festivals circuit. Most notably, as a Queen she represented the Mannington District Fair, Frontier Days, the Timber and Wood Festival, WV Interstate Fair, and the Clendenin Homecoming Festival, doing so with boundless energy and grace. Charley was an amazing titleholder, pageant mentor, and style icon to many in the pageant community. Charley’s life was a soundtrack. Charley is loved and missed immensely by the countless friends and family she made throughout the country on her many adventures to enjoy music. Charley was a bright shining light in this community and could always be found dressed to the nines in the front row supporting her favorite musicians and smiling with her friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Charley’s memory to the Marion County Humane Society, PO Box 905, Fairmont, WV 26555, or to Pet Helpers, 726 East Park Avenue, PMB 311, Fairmont, WV 26554, or at pethelpersinc.org/events/fundraising-events/ The Crystalline Event Center, located at 801 East Park Avenue in Fairmont, is where we will be paying final respects. A viewing of Charley will be held Thursday August 11th from noon until 8pm, and Friday August 12th from noon until 7pm. The family asks all of you to join us in a Celebration of the Life of Charley Clayton at the Crystalline Event Center, on Saturday August 13th from 11 am until 5pm. We have arranged special room rates for out-of-town family and friends. Please contact the Microtel by Wyndam, 20 Southland Drive, Fairmont. The phone number for the motel is 304-363-3100. For either a single or double bed, the rate per night is $61.60. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.fordfuneralhomes.com.