Weldon Kenway Clagett, Sr., age 89, died November 29, 2012, surrounded by family.  He now joins his family who preceded him, his parents, his infant daughter Susan Marie Clagett, his wife Marilyn Clagett, one brother and one sister.

Services will be 10 AM, Monday, December 3, 2012, at Roller-Christeson Funeral Home.  Burial will follow in Jasper Cemetery with Masonic Rites.  Visitation will be 2 to 4 PM, Sunday, December 2, 2012, at Roller-Christeson Funeral Home.  Bear Ray and O.D. Chaney will be speaking at the services.

Pallbearers will be Roy Smith, Bud Atkinson, Fred Woehl, Jay Alexa, Ben Taylor and Harry Hixon.  Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Hankins and John Paul  Hammerschmidt.

Mr. Clagett is survived by two sons, Weldon K. Clagett, Jr. and Frances Gene Clagett; one daughter, Belinda J. Shatwell; two sisters, Mary Lou Lucas and Doris Parkhill; 8 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandchildren and a host of other family and friends.

Mr. Clagett was born on July 31, 1923, in Donna, Texas, the son of Arthur F. Clagett Sr. and Mary (Bell) Clagett.  Weldon graduated from Donna High School, in 1943 and enlisted in the Navy.  After boot camp he shipped out of San Pedro, California, on the Battlewagon Mississippi, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Naval Station.  Upon arrival Weldon was assigned aboard the USS Yorktown to the Air Dale Crew, on the flight deck.

After being promoted from Apprentice Seaman, Seaman 2^nd Class, Seaman 1^st Class, to Coxswain, Weldon was assigned to Damage Control Repair VIII.  He spent 25 months on sea duty and from 1943-1945 engaged in all major battles in the Pacific.  One memorable incident during the war was when the Yorktown was hit, by a 500 pound Japanese bomb, on the starboard midship side.  Even with the hit, the Yorktown had a perfect record of shooting down every plane that made a raid on her, throughout the war.  The men aboard the Yorktown were given a Presidential Citation for their efficiency.  The Yorktown completed its battles against the Japanese when Japan surrendered.  After the surrender the ship was berthed in Tokyo Bay after the Japanese-United States Peace Treaty was signed.  Weldon was honorably discharged on February 5, 1946.

He returned to Texas and attended one year at A&I College in Kingsville, Texas.  In 1947, he moved to Arkansas, where his parents retired.  In June 6, 1948, he Married Marilyn Joyce Hill.  The young couple made their home on the Arkansas cattle farm where they reared three children.  While living on the farm, Weldon worked 14 ½ years for the Department of Agriculture.  He also served 6 years as Justice of the Peace in Newton County.  He attended the Marble Falls Baptist Church. He was a Master Mason and 32^nd degree Scottish Rite Mason.  Weldon held the position of Worshipful Master in his Blue Lodge.  He was honored he had the privilege to attend two of the Work Parties held annually on the Yorktown, anchored at Charleston, South Carolina.

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