Darrell L. Clayton

The Live Stream of the Funeral Service for Mr. Darrell Clayton will begin at 6:00pm on Friday, November 6th, 2020.

Darrell L Clayton “Dee” to his friends was born on June 11, 1973 in Colorado Springs to his loving parents Michael and Bortel Clayton.  He was a product of the Prince George’s County School System graduating from Suitland High School and later going on to receive his Associate’s Degree from Prince George’s Community College.

Darrell has lived a very full life.  So, how do you summarize a man who was the embodiment of life?  How do you condense a life so well lived into only a few pages?  To attempt to capture the essence of someone so complex and so loved is not easily done, but if we were to describe in a few words we would say: “He was a Father.”  “He was a son.”  “He was a brother.”  “He was a thinker...a visionary”  “He was loyal.”  “He was generous and he was kind.” 

Darrell spent so much of his free time searching, not only for knowledge but also GOD.  He was always pursuing new information and ideas.  Traveling was one of the things that not only gave him great satisfaction but quenched his thirst for exploration.  In his life he explored the world and experienced many different cultures and philosophies.  He lived in places like Germany, Iceland,, Italy studying and taking in all the world had to offer.  Darrell was someone who simply loved to learn, and best of all he was never stingy with the knowledge he received.  He was a teacher, and he made a point to pass along what he learned to any who would listen.  He was unique in his intellectual thoughts no matter what the subject.  He had a way of stimulating most thoughts by taking an opposing point of view that in most cases opens your mind to either further your thinking patterns or to pause and reflect on the directions of your own thoughts.  And that was something he always taught his children to think outside the box.

Darrell was the kind of person that brought warmth to the lives of others.  He left a lasting impression on everyone he met, and made friends everywhere he went.  He was a good friend.  He was loyal.  You never doubted that he’d have your back, that he’d give you honesty, and a good laugh. That was the kind of friend he was. He was generous. He always gave out of kindness and without expectation of anything in return. He had a way of making you feel important and loved no matter who you were. It was like once you became a part of his life you became family, and family meant everything to him, especially his children. If Darrell had to be summarized into only two words it would be “Loving Father”. Darrell’s daughters were his entire world. He loved, loved, LOVED his “girls”: Celine, Sho Sho, TP, Chunky, Beam, & Tori. He spent most of his days showering them in affection, teaching them, and telling them corny jokes. He spent every moment he could with them, bringing them along on his many adventures, visiting each of them, and even crossing the ocean to see his oldest in Germany. He made sure each and every one of his girls knew how special they were, calling and talking to them every day, and gushing about them to everyone he knew. His daughters are his most precious legacy. They are the embodiment of the beautiful and loving life that he lived.

Life is like a book, we have to create the story we want to leave behind. Darrell wrote a novel. He left a legacy of love for his family and friends. He left behind a legacy of beauty in all of us who knew him.

Darrell is survived by his parents: Michael and Bortel Clayton, his sister: Diandra Caston (Eric), his children: Celine (Eric), Castacara, Tatianna, Imani, Sidney, and Victoria, as well as his many family members, friends, and adoptive aunts and uncles. Together we will carry on his legacy of love!