Aug 9, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

        With great sadness I regret to inform you that Lynda Clayton passed away from ovarian cancer this past Sunday evening. She lost her battle with this dreaded disease after a horrific struggle over the last twenty months. Her family was with her at the end. I have never seen anyone fight harder to live and she was still fighting to survive right up to her last breath. The illness had clearly taken a terrible toll on her and it truly was a blessing when she was finally at rest and the pain and suffering were at an end.

        She leaves behind our three sons: Mark Burhoe of Homewood, Illinois, Ty Burhoe (Amy Ippoliti) of Boulder, Colorado, and Scott Burhoe of Chicago, Illinois; our grandson Shaun Burhoe of Boulder, Colorado; sister Julie Allecta of Corte Madera, California; brother David (Gayle Dekellis) Clayton of Berkeley, California; and former husband and friend Brian Burhoe. Funeral arrangements will be private and there are no calling hours. Those wishing to make a memorial may do so to the Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve, Inc, 1100 Ridge Rd., Homewood, Illinois 60430. Cards and letters for the family can be sent to Mark Burhoe, 18138 Aberdeen St., Homewood, Illinois 60430.

        Lynda and I met in the fifth grade in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, although we didn't seriously date until our senior year in high school. We married in 1960 and after completing college in 1965 we lived on Cape Cod before moving to the Chicago area in 1967. Our son Mark was born in 1961, Ty in 1964 and Scott in 1966. Although we divorced in 1972, we continued to work together in the best interest of our children and over the years have remained friends and still cared about each other. For many years she worked for General Electric Corporation in two of it's divisions, GE Capital and GE Rail, and was still with GE at the time she went on disability to fight the cancer.

        Lynda had three great causes in her life: the well-being of her sons (whom she loved passionately and without condition), nature (she literally turned her property into a wonderful nursery and garden maize), and animal rights (she was a strong advocate for the proper treatment of pets and cared for a dog and seven cats in her own home). She was an extremely health conscious person and it really bothered her that someone so healthy could have gotten cancer. She was a unique person and my own life has been enriched by my involvement with her.

        Lastly, I have to tell you how supportive her family was throughout her illness. Our son Ty and grandson Shaun, and her brother and sister all traveled long distances multiple times to support her and to help in any way they could. Our son Scott and I lived close by and were able to help a great deal. My wife Joan fully supported my time away from home despite her own health needs and both Lynda and I appreciated her support. But the one person who has done the most by far was our oldest son Mark, who left his job and moved in with Lynda and has been her full time caregiver for the last ten months under extremely difficult circumstances. The entire family is grateful to him for what he has done and so was Lynda. I'm very proud of him.

                                                                                        With regret,

                                                                                            Brian