Patricia Clanton Obituary

Patricia Louise Clanton, a loving teacher, counselor and friend passed away peacefully on Feb. 25, 2026, at the Corewell Health Merlin & Carolyn Hanson Hospice Center, Stevensville.

Pat graduated from Berrien Springs High School in 1956 and Andrews University in 1962 with a bachelor of arts in French and secretarial science. She later received a master's degree in counselor education from Loma Linda University in Riverside, Calif. During her career, Pat developed a wide range of skills, including teaching, counseling and administering ABE and GED tests for Benton Harbor, Lakeshore, and North Berrien Adult Education programs. She also worked in other parts of the country, including Boston and Southern California.

Through work and school she made many lifelong friends. A number of those friends came to see Pat shortly before she passed, including two who drove nearly 400 miles from their Kentucky home. In addition to her teaching and counseling, Pat had the rare opportunity to serve as a secretarial assistant to Peter Teeley in 1976 when he was acting as the press secretary to President Gerald Ford during his presidential campaign.

Pat was born in Compton, Calif., and lived for several years with her parents and brother in Santa Barbara and near Walla Walla, Wash., before the family moved to Michigan.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Albert and Mildred Clanton.

She is survived by her brother, David Clanton, who lives with his wife, Pamela Garvie, in Alexandria, Va.

From the time she was old enough to drive, Pat has enjoyed traveling to see friends. For years she drove her 1960s VW Bug and other cars across the country to visit friends in Alaska, California, Florida, Virginia, Washington State and Washington D.C., the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Western Canada and other locations. Even after she stopped driving, she enjoyed seeing the beaches along Lake Michigan, especially New Buffalo, Warren Dunes, Silver Beach and Saugatuck.

A service to honor Pat will be Sunday, March 8, at the Allred Funeral Home in Berrien Springs. Visitation will start at 4 p.m. and the service is scheduled for 5 p.m. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery.