Clayton Samuel Ezell

Clayton Samuel Ezell, 95, passed away on June 21, 2014 after a short hospice stay. He was born June 6, 1919 in Anderson, Alabama to Jacob and Lula Ezell. He was the youngest of 9 siblings. Upon returning from the Pacific Theater in 1944 he married his hometown sweetheart, Frances Adelle Burgess, who preceded him in death. Clayton has been a resident of Kennesaw, Georgia since leaving Pensacola, Florida 19 years ago.

He is survived by his sons Randall (Cindy) Ezell of Ft. Pierce, Florida and Jeffrey (Jennifer Rippner) Ezell of Acworth, Georgia; his grandchildren Jacob Ezell of Ft. Pierce, Florida; Matthew (Chelsea) Ezell of Houston, Texas; Jessica (Robert) Lewis of Kennesaw, Georgia; and Sarah Ezell of Acworth, Georgia.

He joined the Navy in 1940 and was stationed on the hospital ship USS Solace at Pearl Harbor during the attack on December 7, 1941. He remained in the Navy for 20 years and retired from active service in 1960 as a chief petty officer. He then embarked on a 23 year career in the federal government as a medical researcher at the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory in Pensacola from 1960 to 1983. He was an acknowledged part of more than 30 medical studies, several of which involved the burgeoning space program. His contributions included the training of the first monkey, Ms. Baker, sent into space and some of the earliest research on zero gravity, zero magnetism and microwave communication. Due to his collaboration with noted military cardiac specialists, his work was also credited in standard setting medical textbooks.

Although he was a member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and was honored locally for his military service, he always preferred to focus on the positive aspects of his military and federal service; like the years he was stationed in Pensacola where he and his wife raised their sons, rather than on the attack on Pearl Harbor - one of the darkest days in US military history.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, June 26 at 10am in the chapel of Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Pine Ridge Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, June 25 between 6 and 8pm at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project website. Condolences may be left on Clayton Samuel Ezell’s online guest book at the Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home webpage.

Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home, 2950 Cobb Pkwy NW, Kennesaw, GA. 770-422-7299