Ralph Henry Clayton, age 91, of Marmora passed away peacefully at home on October 16, 2026.
He was born in Somers Point, NJ, on January 19, 1935 at Atlantic Shores Hospital the predecessor to Shore Medical Center, to Ralph and Wilma Clayton. He was born in the middle of a January snow storm, he blamed this for always being cold the rest of his life.
He graduated from Ocean City High School Class of 1952. He married his wonderful wife Dolores in 1955 and they spent 66 years together before her passing in 2021. A proud veteran, Ralph honorably served his country in the US Army National Guard during the Korean War, 1952-1954. After the Army he went to a trade school in Philadelphia to study welding.
Ralph lived a remarkable life defined by devotion to his country, service to his community, and an adventurous spirit, and a heart that always helped others in need. He was a man of faith and actively supported many missionaries and churches throughout his life. He was a member of the 2nd Cape May Baptist Church in Palermo. Ralph eventually started his own business, Clayton Construction in Marmora which built many of the jetties and southend roads in Ocean City. He also built and operated All Season’s Marina with his sister Marilyn Dilks (Ralph) for many years.
What can you say about a man who had so many entrepreneurial dreams and was able to make a lot of them come true. He taught his children to dream big and they did. Ralph was a visionary for the projects he built which were always on the cutting edge. Eventually, his businesses expanded to include Plaza 9 in Marmora, Clayton’s Self Storage and various mobile home parks.
A flying enthusiast, Ralph enjoyed many adventures in his Cessna airplane throughout his life.
Not every adventure was enjoyed by his family. We can remember landing on the beach because of weather in South Carolina, almost running into a mountain in West Virginia and always looking for other airplanes. But Ralph was resourceful, and none of them ever ended in a real disaster. His friends always said he was fearless. He loved every one of those adventures and they made for great stories to tell friends and family. He enjoyed driving his antique cars in parades and car shows at various community events.
Ralph was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dolores and his sisters, Jeanne Mentzer and Marilyn Dilks. He is survived by his son, Robert “Ralph” Clayton, his daughter Jill Casaccio (Paul) and his 2 grandchildren, Tyler Casaccio (Darcy) and Kendall Casaccio (Mike) and 2 adorable great grandchildren, Sadie and Clayton Casaccio. The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to Ralph’s Caregivers, Martha, Mary, Nydia, Penny and Debra whose kindness, compassion, and care allowed him to remain in the comfort of his home during his final years.
A celebration of life will be held Friday, October 23rd, with a visitation from 2:00pm until 5:00pm followed by a service at the Second Cape May Baptist Church, 600 Rt. 9 S, Palermo.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his memory may be made to Second Cape May Baptist Church, 600 Rt. 9 S, Palermo 08223.
Arrangements by The Godfrey Funeral Home of Palermo.
Condolences for the family may be left at www.godfreyfuneralhome.com.
