Thelma Griffin Clayton

Thelma (Griffin) Clayton, 95, passed away on May 15, 2026, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She was born on January 31, 1931, in the Whittenburg oil boomtown outside of Borger, Texas, to Roxie Ann Griffin and Van Buren Griffin. At six months of age, her family moved to Copan, Oklahoma, where she was raised and graduated in 1949. Thelma later attended business school and was employed with the U.S. Bureau of Mines and later Cities Service Oil Company through 1957. Thelma moved to Bartlesville in 1952, where she met the love of her life, Hadwen A. Clayton. They were married at First Baptist Church in Bartlesville on March 6, 1954, and made Bartlesville their lifelong home. Thelma was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her greatest joy was found in the family she and Hadwen built together. She was faithfully involved in school, church, and Girl Scout activities, and she lived out her care for others in steady, practical, and generous ways. She was a wonderful cook, a skilled seamstress, and a gifted maker of beautiful things, enjoying cross-stitch, painting, and music throughout her life. From singing trios with her sisters at First Baptist Church in Copan to sharing her creativity with her children and grandchildren, Thelma had a way of turning ordinary moments into treasured memories. Her faith was quiet, steady, and deeply sincere. She was a steadfast prayer warrior, and those who loved her could see the Lord working through her life in the faithful, humble way she cared for others. She gave comfort freely, brought joy into the lives of family and friends, and made her grandchildren feel important, cherished, and known. They would tell you, without hesitation, that she was loved more than the whole wide world. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Lavonne Stefanopoulos and Grace Lucas; her brothers, Earl H. Griffin, Ray D. Griffin, and Ralph B. Griffin; and her son-in-law, John R. Rathman. She is survived by her husband of 72 years, Hadwen A. Clayton; her son, Gregg H. Clayton, and daughter-in-law, Anna, of Lexhand, Sweden; and her daughter, Dayna Rathman, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She is also survived by six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, one sister-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. Thelma was deeply passionate about supporting the Baptist Children’s Home. In keeping with her heart for this ministry, the family kindly asks that, in lieu of flowers or other memorial gifts, donations be made in her memory to: Oklahoma Baptist Children’s Home 300 Johnny Bench Drive, Suite 450 Oklahoma City, OK 73104 Tax ID #73-1435473

Thelma Griffin Clayton

January 31, 1931 - May 15, 2026