Obituary of Clayton Holloway

Passed peacefully away after a brief illness at the Burin Peninsula Health Care Center on Saturday July 2nd Clayton Holloway of Spanish Room at the age of 90 years. Leaving to mourn with fond and loving memories wife Gertrude of 69 years; son Boyd (Judy) of Spanish Room; daughter Belinda Walsh (Edward) of Spanish Room; 5 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren plus a large circle of other family and friends. Predeceased by infant daughter Gloria; sisters Emily and Hilda and step brother Wesley. In keeping with Clayton's wishes cremation as taken place. Clayton was born in Bloomfield, Bonavista Bay, the only surviving son of Nicholas and Hettie Holloway. He began his working career in the lumberwoods, following in the footsteps of his father. For many years he worked cutting pulpwood for the AND Company, primarily in Terra Nova. In August, 1947, Clayton married Gertrude (Gertie) Peddle, the youngest child of the large family of Capt. Jesse and Isabella Peddle of Bloomfield. The following year they welcomed their only son, Boyd. In 1953 their daughter Belinda was born. Clayton was known and respected as a hard-working man with a strong faith. In 1954 he was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and soon thereafter became the presiding minister of the congregation of Witnesses in Musgravetown, Bonavista Bay. He and his wife set a strong example of faith and dedication in raising their children, and both children eventually became full-time evangelizers. As the children were being raised, the family was well-known in Bloomfield and surrounding communities for their regular participation in house-to-house visitation to share a message from the Bible with their neighbors about God's Kingdom and the blessings it will bring to mankind. Following their son's graduation from high school in 1965, Clayton moved his family to St. John's where he had found work as the service manager of a large janitorial company. Boyd became a full-time minister, serving for several years in St. John's, CBS and the northern peninsula. In 1969, Clayton and Gertie moved to Marystown to assist in establishing a congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. The following year, their newly-married son Boyd and hiswife Judy (both missionaries) were assigned to Marystown to assist the newly-formed congregation. Clayton and Boyd served together for many years as elders in the congregation. Clayton served faithfully as an elder and regularly participated in house-to-house visitations right up until a few weeks before his death. He made many lasting friendships among the people in the Marystown area, both through his work as a Bible teacher as well as his services as a mail courier for about twenty years in Mooring Cove-Spanish Room-Rock Harbour and Jean de Baie. The Holloway family have lived in Spanish Room for more than 40 years. A traditional Newfoundland outport family, Clayton and Gertie were the steadying influence on their children and 5 grandchildren as they grew up "across the meadow" next to their beloved "Pop and Nan". Today there are 6 great-granchildren, the eldest two living next door in Spanish Room, and four little boys living in Edmonton, Alberta.The youngest member of the family, Milo, is three months old, and didn't get to meet his Grandpa Holloway, but he is travelling home with his Mom and cousins to meet the family and attend Clayton's memorial service. Clayton was healthy and active up to the age of 90. Last year he planted and cultivated his potato garden, as he had been doing for many years. He kept his driveway and walks clear of snow all through last winter, and about 6 weeks before his death, just prior to his sudden illness, he was mowing his lawn and working on a project in his basement workshop. Family members and neighbors valued his practical wisdom, and when a member of the family needed something repaired, they knew that Pop could fix or invent just about anything. What most saw as junk, Clayton saw as useful items which would be used to create or repair. The memorial service for Clayton Holloway will be held on Saturday, July 23,@ 2PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Marystown. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Serenity Funeral Home, Burin.