Clayton Johnson, age 88, of Brookings, South Dakota passed away Friday, August 4, 2017, at the Arlington Care Center in Arlington, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, August 11, 2017, at Eidsness Funeral Home. Visitations will be one hour prior to the service.

Clayton R. Johnson was born November 2, 1928, to William Henry and Mary (Myrtle) Johnson in rural Jamestown, Tennessee. Clayton married Betty Davis on November 18, 1950.   They started their family in Muncie, Indiana, and in 1962, they moved to California. In 1985, Betty and Clayton moved to South Dakota where they eventually settled in Brookings.   They had been living at Sunchase Apartments; a place in which they loved dearly. Betty passed away on July 1, 2017. At which time, Clayton moved to the Arlington Care Center.

Clayton worked many years in the dairy industry as a plant manager. Many of those years were spent at Swiss Dairy in California. Clayton was an extremely hard worker. He loved to joke around and was very non-judgmental towards everyone. Clayton enjoyed singing and writing poems for his family.

Survivors include his children, Donna Cohen of Holidaysburg, PA, Nancy (Terry) Swenson of Elkton, SD, and Sharon Kay Johnson of Gary, SD; daughter-in-law, Diana Johnson of Riverside, CA; one sister, Zola Richmond of Muncie, IN; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and nieces and nephews, including one very close nephew, Jay Harold Johnson. Clayton was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty; two sons, Tony and Clayton, Jr.; three brothers, Clifford, Clifton, and Willard; and three sisters, Lena, Gladys, and Lois.