Regarding Steve's date of passing: I have a very close friend here in Boise, Mark Riley, that was friends with Steve when they were both in the Airline Industry, I believe with Hugh's Air West. Mark recalls that it was around 1982 or '83 that Steve died. Here's what Mark shared with me.
"Steve was a flight attendant with me but working on getting the flight hours/ratings he needed to hopefully become an airline pilot. He was working for a charter company flying freight in a small plane to build up his hours. He was by himself when he crashed due to ice on the wings. Very sad. Such a good guy. M"
Airwest/Hughes Airwest is the airlines I worked for from 07/09/1968 to October 1980. I'm still in touch with many of my former colleagues there (we were really like family and still are). I'll use some resources I have to see if I can find an answer to the question you posed. Sad story about Steve. At least he was doing something he loved and about which he had passion.
Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, January 24, 1982 Phoenix pilot is found dead in wreckage of light plane. A Phoenix man was found dead Saturday in the wreckage of a light plane east of Show Low, the Apache County Sheriff’s Office said. The victim was identified as Steven Dwight Clayton, 30, address unavailable. He apparently was the only person on board. The wreckage of the plane, which disappeared Thursday night, was found about two miles south of Marshell Flat, between McNary and Vernon, officers said. The aircraft had disappeared on a flight from Borger, Texas, to Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix, with a planned stop at the St. Johns airfield. A search was launched after authorities at Pinetop had picked up a signal from an emergency locater. A search plane located the wreckage about 10 a.m.
Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, Wednesday, January 27, 1982SCOTTSDALE – Services for Steven D. Clayton, 30, who was a charter pilot and a flight attendant for Republic Airlines, will be 2 p.m. today in Shumway’s Lakeshore Mortuary, 1815 S. Dobson, Mesa.
Mr. Clayton was injured fatally Jan. 21, 1982, in an accident at the Show Low Airport. He came to Scottsdale 27 years ago from Oklahoma and graduated from Scottsdale High School in 1969 and received his bachelors of science degree in business administration at Arizona State University in 1975. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Survivors include his wife, Cheryl; mother, Dorene; two sisters and a brother; and two grandmothers. He was the son of the late Billy Elmer Fritts (1921–1953) and the adopted son of the late Tom Henry Clayton.
I continued my research on some of our Obits and not only discovered info on Steve Clayton’s airplane crash (see attached) but also found that his birth father died in Korea when Steve was just 18 months old. Dad was 30 yrs of age. He was raised by Clayton (and apparently adopted by him). You can read it all on this site: http://www.militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=224402 Be sure to click on the additional tabs after “Bio” to see his medals (including the Distinquished Service Cross) and commendations.
Tucker (Sue) Probst (Wardwell)
Small world.
Regarding Steve's date of passing: I have a very close friend here in Boise, Mark Riley, that was friends with Steve when they were both in the Airline Industry, I believe with Hugh's Air West. Mark recalls that it was around 1982 or '83 that Steve died. Here's what Mark shared with me.
"Steve was a flight attendant with me but working on getting the flight hours/ratings he needed to hopefully become an airline pilot. He was working for a charter company flying freight in a small plane to build up his hours. He was by himself when he crashed due to ice on the wings. Very sad. Such a good guy. M"
Kathryn McDowell
Thanks Tucker - do you know whre Steve was living when this happened? Thanks, helps with the search for data.
K
Patti Lynn Wilson
Tucker/Kathryn,
Airwest/Hughes Airwest is the airlines I worked for from 07/09/1968 to October 1980. I'm still in touch with many of my former colleagues there (we were really like family and still are). I'll use some resources I have to see if I can find an answer to the question you posed. Sad story about Steve. At least he was doing something he loved and about which he had passion.
Tucker (Sue) Probst (Wardwell)
I'm checking with my friend, Mark I've tried pulling up AZ. records, but no luck as of yet. Guessing you've done the same.
Kathryn McDowell
Steven Dwight Clayton Birth 28 Jan 1951 Death 21 Jan 1982 (aged 30) Apache County, Arizona
BURIAL Green Acres Memorial Park Scottsdale
Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, January 24, 1982 Phoenix pilot is found dead in wreckage of light plane. A Phoenix man was found dead Saturday in the wreckage of a light plane east of Show Low, the Apache County Sheriff’s Office said. The victim was identified as Steven Dwight Clayton, 30, address unavailable. He apparently was the only person on board. The wreckage of the plane, which disappeared Thursday night, was found about two miles south of Marshell Flat, between McNary and Vernon, officers said. The aircraft had disappeared on a flight from Borger, Texas, to Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix, with a planned stop at the St. Johns airfield. A search was launched after authorities at Pinetop had picked up a signal from an emergency locater. A search plane located the wreckage about 10 a.m.
Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, Wednesday, January 27, 1982 SCOTTSDALE – Services for Steven D. Clayton, 30, who was a charter pilot and a flight attendant for Republic Airlines, will be 2 p.m. today in Shumway’s Lakeshore Mortuary, 1815 S. Dobson, Mesa.
Mr. Clayton was injured fatally Jan. 21, 1982, in an accident at the Show Low Airport. He came to Scottsdale 27 years ago from Oklahoma and graduated from Scottsdale High School in 1969 and received his bachelors of science degree in business administration at Arizona State University in 1975. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Survivors include his wife, Cheryl; mother, Dorene; two sisters and a brother; and two grandmothers. He was the son of the late Billy Elmer Fritts (1921–1953) and the adopted son of the late Tom Henry Clayton.
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I continued my research on some of our Obits and not only discovered info on Steve Clayton’s airplane crash (see attached) but also found that his birth father died in Korea when Steve was just 18 months old. Dad was 30 yrs of age. He was raised by Clayton (and apparently adopted by him). You can read it all on this site: http://www.militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=224402 Be sure to click on the additional tabs after “Bio” to see his medals (including the Distinquished Service Cross) and commendations.