The only child of Harold Gray Clayton and Harriette Ray Clayton, Peggy was born October 21, 1928, in Gainesville, Florida. After graduating from the P.K. Yonge School and from Gainesville High School, she attended Florida Women's University in Tallahassee for one year, finishing her university studies at the University of Florida, where she majored in journalism and wrote for the campus newspaper, the Florida Alligator.

Peggy Clayton joined Alpha Chi Omega sorority during her college years and for several decades afterwards was an active local member of an Alpha Chi Omega alumnae club and a local affiliate of the National Panhellenic Conference.

Maxey Destin May, a veteran who returned from service in World War II to resume his college education at the University of Florida, rented a garage apartment near the campus where Peggy Clayton's father Harold served as the director of the Florida Agricultural Extension service. Peggy and Max met at that time and they married in Gainesville on June 11, 1949.

Until 1963, Peggy was a housewife who helped her husband run May & Co. Hardware from 1954 until 1964. Peggy also served for several years as a member of the Fort Walton Beach Hospital Auxiliary.

Shortly before the closing of May & Co. Hardware, Peggy began her long career as a journalist at the Playground News (now the Northwest Florida Daily News) in December, 1963. During her forty-two year tenure at the newspaper, she served in several capacities, including Women's Page Editor. She was a member of the Florida Press Club and was inducted into the Okaloosa County Women's Hall of Fame in
2005.

Peggy is survived by her three children, Lee Clayton May of Austin, Texas; Mark Destin May of Fort Walton Beach; and Nancy Harriet May Hatch of Gulfport, Florida; and by her grandson, Grant Everette Hatch of Gulfport.
Used with permission from Davis-Watkins Funeral Home

obit provided by Travelingal (#46599115)


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Obituary: Online, Northwest Florida Daily News, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, 6 Jul 2011.