Clayton Crider Danford Obituary (1989 - 2022)

Clayton Crider Danford entered fully into the presence of our Lord and Savior on December 13, 2022 after a long, courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 33 years old and passed away peacefully in his home in Dickinson, Texas surrounded by his family. Clayton was born on July 10, 1989 to Kathy Lynn Douglas (Crider) and Paul Ray Danford in Texas City, Texas. After Clayton graduated from Texas City High School in 2007, he went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Criminology in 2011 and a Master of Science in Environmental Management in 2015 from the University of Houston Clear Lake. During his college years, he worked for Texas First Bank in Kemah and Dickinson and was well respected by his customers, coworkers, and the communities. After receiving his Master's Degree, he began his career with Sentry Insurance as a Safety Consultant. He thoroughly enjoyed his career and thrived in every aspect. In May of 2019, Clayton married his beautiful wife, Taylor Elaine Garza. They were blessed with two beautiful children who adored their daddy so much. God gave them Dallas in September of 2019, and River in July of 2021. Clayton is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents: Gerald and Martha Belle Danford and his maternal grandparents: Eldon Watson and Mary Alice Crider. Clayton is survived by his wife, Taylor; their children, Dallas and River; his parents, Bob and Kathy Douglas and Paul and Mika Danford. He is also survived by his sister, Carly Salinas and husband Nick Salinas; and his niece and nephew, Isabella and Nathan Salinas. He was blessed to have bonus siblings from both of his stepparents. They include: Bret and Lizette Hirsch (Elliott); Patrick Hirsch (Iztli and Osiris); Gordon and Lana Douglas (Andru and Grant); Jamie and Ryan Brust (Christian, Jace, Lanie and Jaxon); Alex and Lindsey Douglas (Nash); and Phillip Douglas. His mother-in-law, Charmaine Taflinger and husband Joel Taflinger; sisters-in-law, Brandy Garza and family, Amber Freeman and family, Julia Jeffords, and Brooke Richard. There are also numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who were so loved by Clayton and were a vital part of his life. Clayton's proudest accomplishment was his wife and children. He loved teaching Dallas how to hit a baseball off a tee, playing peek-a-boo with River, and covering them both with hugs and kisses to show his never-ending love for them. Clayton loved experiencing every aspect of his life with Taylor. He and Taylor enjoyed playing with their babies, daydreaming of what their future would hold, and cuddling up to binge watch TV series while snacking on their favorite foods. Their dogs, Remi and Gunner, were never too far away from Clayton and would follow him around his house wherever he went. Clayton enjoyed many hobbies in life. Some of his favorite memories were of time spent at the Danford Ranch in Keechi, Texas, hunting, filling deer feeders, or simply enjoying God's creation. He was an avid golfer and loved to play the courses anytime he could with his family and friends. He was actively involved in his niece Bella and nephew Nathan's lives and their various sports activities, dedicating his time and energy as a coach for their teams. He was a proud fan of the Dallas Cowboys and always looked forward to his and his dad's annual trip to see them play. Cooking became a passion of his. He was always trying new recipes and without a doubt, smoked the best pork belly burnt ends in the South. He was incredibly intelligent and was always looking for new opportunities to keep learning, whether it was through new podcasts, articles he'd read, or true crime documentaries. He always enjoyed a good debate and could carry on a conversation about anything. He was incredibly brave and strong through all the trials he faced. He always had a smile and knew that God had a purpose for everything he was going through. He saw the good in everyone and lived a life of gratitude. Words cannot describe how much he will be missed and the hole we all now have in our hearts with his passing. We have comfort and our hope in Jesus Christ that we will see him in eternity. The family wants to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and kindness during this difficult time. We pray God blesses every single one of you for your kind words, prayers, and deeds. We also want to thank the Neuro ICU staff at Houston Methodist Downtown for their amazing care of Clayton when he was there and the care team at his home for going above and beyond during Clayton's final stages to ensure he had everything he needed, along with support for him and our family. Clayton's celebration of life will be Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at First Baptist Church in Texas City, Texas. Visitation will begin at 10:30, and the service will begin at 11:30. A burial ceremony will take place immediately after the service at Forest Park East Cemetery in Webster, Texas. Flowers may be sent by contacting Kemah Flowers & Company. If you are so inclined, donations may also be made to Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation in memory of Clayton, who only had the absolute best to say about the staff and service he received while in their care. Clayton's Memorial Service will be live streamed by First Baptist Church Texas City at fbctc.com. Click "CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE!" on the homepage to view. It should go live approximately 10-15 minutes before the start time of the service - so about 11:15AM.