Clayton E. Carr, age 62 of Washburn, ND died Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 at a Bismarck hospital.

Funeral Services will be held 10:30 AM Saturday, Aug. 13th at First Lutheran Church in Washburn with Pastor Erik Johnson & Pastor Jack Eichhorst officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Washburn with military rites provided by the American Legion Victor B. Wallin Post 12 and the ND Military Funeral Honors team.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday at First Lutheran Church in Washburn with a remembrance service at 7:00 PM.

Clayton "Clay" was born November 12, 1948 in Turtle Lake, ND, the youngest of 12 children born to Elmer & Alma (Ellingson) Carr. The first four years of his life he resided with his family at the McLean County Jail in Washburn after his father was elected the McLean County Sheriff. He attended elementary school in Washburn and graduated from Washburn High School in 1966. Clay continued his education at Dickinson State College for one year before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in June 1967. He was sent to Vietnam (in country) on Dec. 11, 1967. Clay was a member of the First Battalion, First Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. He was wounded during the 1968 Tet Offensive in Hue City on Feb. 15, 1968, resulting in wounds to both legs and the eventual amputation of his right leg. He spent most of the remaining year recovering in hospitals in Guam, California, and Washington state. He was sent home in November 1968 and was commended with the Purple Heart Medal. Clay was honorably discharged on Dec. 31, 1968.
In 1971, Clay went to work as a bookkeeper for Hoffman Motors in Washburn. In 1978, he became the Washburn City Auditor and worked in this capacity until his retirement in 1994. He married Elaine Johnson of Washburn on June 25, 1974 and together they raised two daughters, Claudia & Jill. Clay loved to hunt ducks and whitetail deer and truly appreciated all of his great friends and neighbors that allowed him to hunt on private lands. He enjoyed reading about U.S. History and truly loved his community, state, and nation. Clay loved living along the Missouri River and the surrounding beauty of the Washburn area. He was a proud member and devout supporter of the United States Marine Corps. Clay was a life member of the American Legion Post 12 of Washburn, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1326 of Bismarck, and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 3 of Bismarck/Mandan. He was also a member of the Forty and Eight Voiture 291 and fraternal member of the Elks (B.P.O.E.) 1199 of Bismarck. Clay was a proud grandfather to three grandchildren and a baptized and confirmed member of First Lutheran Church in Washburn. He lived by the motto "Life is good, no complaints". Semper Fi.

Those family members grateful to have shared in his life include his wife of 38 years, Elaine Carr of Washburn; two daughters and sons-in-law, Claudia & Steve Kuball, and Jill & Scott Senftner, both of Bismarck; three grandchildren, Troy, Leah, & Elly Kuball; one brother, Quentin "Ken" (Jennifer) Carr of Seward, AK; eight sisters, Marian Meyer of Bismarck, Betty (Meinhardt) Kleingartner of Bismarck, JoAnn Nelson of Plymouth, MN, Audrey (James) Gilbertson of Marco Island, FL, Zona (Lyle) Sannes of Surprise, AZ, Beverly (Robert) Hale of Englewood, FL, Carol (Michael) Olson of Perham, MN, & Claudette (Clark) Ness of Washburn; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters (Claudia & Margaret), one adopted brother (LeRoy Hanson), three nephews (Kurt & Brad Meyer, and Alvin Johnson), & three brothers-in-law (M. Neil Meyer, Paul Bergquist, & Gerald Nelson).