William Lyn Claybrook

William Lyn Claybrook, 90, passed away peacefully on June 12, 2022, in Gloucester, Virginia.

Lyn was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years and mother of his children, Alwayne McClure Claybrook, his second wife, Dorothy "Dot" Ryland Garber Claybrook; and son-in-law, William Otis "Billy" Healy.

He is survived by a sister, Mary Ann Haigis, of Howe, Texas; four children, Karen Hatton, and her husband, Michael, Steve Claybrook, and wife, Dixie, Kathy Healy, and Anita Slagle, and husband, Dave; eleven grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.

Lyn was born October 24, 1931, in Bolivar, Tennessee to Reverend Lynden and Annie Claybrook.  He attended Oneida Baptist Institute in Oneida, Kentucky before matriculating, first to Cumberland College, then graduating with a BS from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, lettering on the tennis team.  It was there he met and married Alwayne McClure, of Waynesville, North Carolina.  Following military service, Lyn and Alwayne settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked in the restaurant business.  Better employment opportunities soon followed in Virginia with Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO), later known as Dominion Resources, which propelled the Claybrook family over the course of Lyn’s very successful career to various locals in Virginia, including stints in Charlottesville (Crozet), Petersburg (Hopewell), Gloucester, and finally to Richmond, where Lyn retired in 1992.  Lyn and Alwayne developed cherished and longstanding friendships in each community they lived in.  Lyn loved to play tennis and golf and was quite a ping-pong player.  He was an avid fisherman, hunter, and he enjoyed taking his young family on camping trips.  Lyn and Alwayne spent quality time in retirement in Mathews County and Williamsburg, Virginia and Waynesville, North Carolina.  After Alwayne’s passing, he moved back to Gloucester where he met and married Dot Garber.  In their ten years together, Lyn and Dot were big promoters and patrons of the life music scene in Gloucester and the greater Tidewater area.  Lyn and Dot were active members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Gloucester Courthouse, where Lyn sang in the choir.  Lyn was active in the Baptist church throughout his life.  He was an enthusiastic choir member and a deacon in each church he and his family attended and was the volunteer music minister at Crozet Baptist Church.

Two private graveside services will be held one at Green Hill Cemetery, in Waynesville, North Carolina, where Alwayne is laid to rest, and another at Dot’s grave at Bruington Baptist Church, in King & Queen County, Virginia.

In memory of Lyn, memorial contributions may be made in Lyn’s name to Berea College, 101 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY 40404, or at the following website:  https://berea.salsalabs.org/give/index.html.