In Memory Of
Henry Clay Yarber Jr.
Henry Clay Yarber Jr.
Clay Yarber Oct. 15, 1946 - Feb. 12, 2009
Henry Clay Yarber, Jr., L/Cpl. USMC, retired, age 62, passed away at 10:20 pm, February 12, 2009, in Clarence, New York, as a passenger in the crash of Continental Airlines Flight 3407. Clay was a United States Marine Corps veteran who served in 3rd Force Recon, 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam, and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 stars, Vietnamese Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Purple Heart, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm. After his Honorable Discharge from the Corps, Clay resumed his career as a musician. Prior to his enlistment, Clay played in a band with Bob Seger, but his patriotism caused him to enlist in the Marines, putting his musical career on hold.
Clay was an exceptional musician, starting out on drums, but quickly switching over to guitar. He began playing professionally when he was 14 years old. For a while he played in the house band of a club in Dayton, backing up acts such as Ike and Tina Turner and Ben E. King. But nothing was more important to Clay than his family. He would give you the shirt off his back or his last nickel, not thinking of how it would affect him. He was often generous to his own detriment.Clay was preceded in death by his father, Henry Clay Yarber, and a brother, Dennis. He is survived by his mother, Jewell Bishop of Dayton; daughters Pamela Jones and Michelle Hudson of Dayton, and Kimberly of Xenia; son Christopher of Riverside, CA; step-son Ricky Curtis of Wimauma, FL; sisters Gladys (Kenny) Hamilton, Kathy (Martin) Cvitkovich and Sherry (Mike) Laughman and brother Tim (Judy) Bishop; grandchildren Steven R. Jones, II, Rachel A Jones, Amber M. Jones and Chrissy Hudson; great-grandchildren KeAndre and Mariah Jones, Dakel, Dakayla and Dashayla Hall, and his loving, extended family. The family would like to express a very special thank you to friends Shari Ingram, Gina Yarber, Phil Wasserman, Joe St. Pierre, Loren Patton, Jamie Hall, Bruce Boyd, Gary Bridges, and Michael Milhoan for their love and support, with apologies to anyone inadvertently omitted. We love and appreciate you all. The family will receive friends from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, Friday, May 15, 2009 at Newcomer Funeral Home, 3940 Kettering Blvd., Kettering, Ohio. Graveside service will be 3:00 pm at the Dayton National Cemetery, VA Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio with Pastor Rick Smith officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Order of the Silver Rose, 9157 Ann Maria, Grand Blanc, MI 48439, for American Servicemen who have been exposed to Agent Orange.
Henry Clay Yarber, Jr., L/Cpl. USMC, retired, age 62, passed away at 10:20 pm, February 12, 2009, in Clarence, New York, as a passenger in the crash of Continental Airlines Flight 3407. Clay was a United States Marine Corps veteran who served in 3rd Force Recon, 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam, and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 stars, Vietnamese Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Purple Heart, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm. After his Honorable Discharge from the Corps, Clay resumed his career as a musician. Prior to his enlistment, Clay played in a band with Bob Seger, but his patriotism caused him to enlist in the Marines, putting his musical career on hold.
Clay was an exceptional musician, starting out on drums, but quickly switching over to guitar. He began playing professionally when he was 14 years old. For a while he played in the house band of a club in Dayton, backing up acts such as Ike and Tina Turner and Ben E. King. But nothing was more important to Clay than his family. He would give you the shirt off his back or his last nickel, not thinking of how it would affect him. He was often generous to his own detriment.Clay was preceded in death by his father, Henry Clay Yarber, and a brother, Dennis. He is survived by his mother, Jewell Bishop of Dayton; daughters Pamela Jones and Michelle Hudson of Dayton, and Kimberly of Xenia; son Christopher of Riverside, CA; step-son Ricky Curtis of Wimauma, FL; sisters Gladys (Kenny) Hamilton, Kathy (Martin) Cvitkovich and Sherry (Mike) Laughman and brother Tim (Judy) Bishop; grandchildren Steven R. Jones, II, Rachel A Jones, Amber M. Jones and Chrissy Hudson; great-grandchildren KeAndre and Mariah Jones, Dakel, Dakayla and Dashayla Hall, and his loving, extended family. The family would like to express a very special thank you to friends Shari Ingram, Gina Yarber, Phil Wasserman, Joe St. Pierre, Loren Patton, Jamie Hall, Bruce Boyd, Gary Bridges, and Michael Milhoan for their love and support, with apologies to anyone inadvertently omitted. We love and appreciate you all. The family will receive friends from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, Friday, May 15, 2009 at Newcomer Funeral Home, 3940 Kettering Blvd., Kettering, Ohio. Graveside service will be 3:00 pm at the Dayton National Cemetery, VA Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio with Pastor Rick Smith officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Order of the Silver Rose, 9157 Ann Maria, Grand Blanc, MI 48439, for American Servicemen who have been exposed to Agent Orange.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Henry Clay Yarber Jr., please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Friday, May 15, 2009
12:30 - 2:30 pm (Eastern time)
Kettering Chapel
Guestbook
Visits: 5
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