Bernard Clayton Jr.

Bernard Clayton Jr., 94, of Bloomington passed away Monday at the Meadowood Health Pavilion. He was the son of Bernard and Lenora (Condon) Clayton born on December 25, 1916 in Rochester, Indiana. Bernard Clayton Jr. is the author of award-winning cookbooks, including those on breads and baking which three decades ago helped usher in the baking at home revolution in the United States. Clayton’s books include the Complete Book of Breads, The Complete Book of Soups and Stews, The Breads of France, and Cooking Across America. In 1998 his seventh book, The Complete Book of Small Breads, was published. The Bread Baker Guild of America in 2001 named him to its Hall of Fame for his contributions to the advancement of artisan bread baking and his research and communications on the techniques of the craft. Clayton, the son of an Indiana country newspaper editor, went with the Indianapolis News after attending Indiana University in the mid-30’s, and then joined Time-Life Magazines in New York. He was a war correspondent in the Pacific for the magazines during WWII and was aboard the Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies. After the war he was director of public relations for Matson Navigation Company, San Francisco, with ships and hotels in the Pacific. In 1960 he joined the New York public relations firm T.J. Ross and Associates as its vice president on the West Coast. Indiana University, in 1966, asked him to come to Bloomington to take charge of a special media project. He retired from the university in 1980 to devote full time to writing about food and travel. In 1997 Indiana University honored Clayton with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Clayton is survived by his loving wife of seventy years Marjorie L. Clayton of Bloomington; a daughter Susan Barnato and husband Richard of Bishop, CA; a son Jeffrey Clayton and wife Linda of Lake Arrowhead, CA; two grandsons, one granddaughter and six great-grandchildren. There will be no services in Bloomington. A private family service will be held in California at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bloomington hospital Foundation or the Indiana University Foundation in memory of Clayton.

Tributes

Bernard Clayton Jr.

December 25, 1916 - March 28, 2011