John G. Clayton ’51

John G. Clayton ’51, recipient of his class’ Spirit of ’51 Award in 2012 and one of Dartmouth’s most outstanding quarterbacks, died at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center on February 20. He is survived by his wife, Marcia, two children and five grandchildren. Son Mark ’82 and granddaughter Ellie ’13 carry on the Dartmouth tradition. John came to Dartmouth from Phillips Andover Academy, where he had been a three-sport athlete (he was subsequently inducted into the Andover Athletics Hall of Honor). At Dartmouth he was a key contributor to his undefeated freshman football team. During the next three years he was the varsity quarterback, leading the team to a 15-9-1 record. He received the George Bulger Lowe Award as New England’s top college football player and played in the Shrine East-West All-Star football game. John was an active member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and Sphinx. While attending the Tuck School he and classmates Pete Bogardus and Ted Eberle helped coach Dartmouth’s freshman football team. He was an active and contributive alumnus, serving as a member of the class executive committee and co-chairing its 45th reunion. He was a member of the College’s Alumni Council and its athletics committee. He regularly mentored Dartmouth football players. John’s business career included senior roles as a sales and marketing officer with Knapp Shoe Co. and as president of Baker/Clayton, an outplacement firm. Upon retirement in 1992 he and Marcia moved to the Eastman Community in Grantham, New Hampshire, where they regularly hosted ’51 classmates.