Clayton Charles Bland

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

CLAYTON CHARLES BLAND

November 28, 1963 - September 10, 2018

For all of us that had the honor and privileged of knowing Clayton Charles Bland, for a moment or a lifetime, this is his story. Just call him Clay.

Clay was born November 28, 1963 at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield, CA. He was born ugly, but his Mother, Sandura Ruth Bland said to his Father, Charles Neil Bland, "he's ugly but please love him anyway." Clay morphed into such a beautiful baby boy, that his parents had to actually cover his face up in stores. People were so attracted to his beautiful face, that they could not keep their hands off of him.

Clay grew up in an East Bakersfield home with his Mother, his older sister, Audrey and his younger Brother, Brian. There was always a lot of love in that home, along with many childhood antics. Those three kids wrestled, fought, giggled, played and grew up there. All three of them brought their children and families back there. The house still shows signs of some holes knocked into walls, if you know where to look. They had a lot of fun growing up in that old house and Mom still calls it home.

Clay also had a large extended family. He had many Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Many of their homes held precious childhood memories for Clay. He often reminisced about running down old country dirt roads, riding bikes, riding horses, riding and wrecking motorcycles, shooting b.b. guns and occasionally fighting. Building beautiful memories that he cherished.

Clay attended school at Hort Elementary, Chipman Jr. High, where there still to this day lies a tile that he painted his name on so many years ago and Foothill High School. Clay did not enjoy school, he was never a book kind of guy. Clay said that he could never remember ever reading a book from cover to cover. If you asked him what his favorite part of school was, he always said recess.

But Clay had a gift, he was a people net-worker. Clay knew so many people, his Brother, Brian once said, "Damn, you can't go anywhere with him, he knows everybody and he has to stop and talk for hours. It's never just a 15 minute trip."

Clay's genius was in his work ethic, he had worked since he was sixteen years old. One of his first jobs was at a basque restaurant, that job was how he was able to purchase his first vehicle. It was a blue El Camino, Clay was so proud of that car. He thought it was a chic magnet, but it was really just his beautiful face and his shoulder length dark curly hair.

Clay had a gift, he was able to walk onto any job sight that he ever worked on, and learn how everything worked and where everything was placed, and he never forgot it. Clay could drive a forklift like nobodies business, but his true passion was driving and eighteen wheeler truck. His Brother Brian used to say, "Clay is the best truck driver in the world, and I am the second best." They would both just crack up, There are no words to express how much Clay loved driving a truck. He drove a truck for thirty years.

Clay met his best friend in life, Will Hobbs on a job in 2007. At first Clay did not like Will, he came home at night complaining about all the ways that Will just rubbed him the wrong way. But somewhere along the line they began talking and a very special friendship bloomed. Clay started coming home from work and all we heard were Will stories. They became so close that whenever Will would call we would say, "Clay, your wife is on the phone." They had a friendship of love and respect, that was reciprocated both ways. A friendship forged like steel.

Clay was a handsome man, and the lady that won his heart is Laura Rosander, they married on April 8, 1995. Between Clay and Laura they have eight children: Sarah Basham, Gene Basham, Daniel Basham, Ashley Migilis, Claudia Basham, Amber Jetski, Courtney Delany and Reno Perez. If you thought that was alot of children, they have nineteen grandchildren and one on the way. Granddaughters: Lyndsey Brown, Samantha Basham, Autumn Basham, Abby Basham and Maddy Lyndsey. Grandsons: William Basham, Jayden Basham, Gerald Lyndsey, Toby Lyndsey, Hunter Jetski, Payton Jetski, Ryan Basham, Logan Basham, Zachary Basham, Mason Hamlin, Nathan Davis Adam Delany and Ethan Delany.

Clayton Charles Bland is love greatly, and it is with much pain and grief that we will say good-bye to him. But, Clay also loved greatly, his Family and Friends meant everything to him. He had a beautiful life with all of us, he knew and acknowledged that so much as he grew ill.

Clay is survived by his Mother Sandura Ruth Bland, his Wife Laura Denise Rosander, all eight of his children and his nineteen grandchildren, His Sister Audrey Kay Dawson and Brother in Law Mitcheal Troy Dawson, His Brother in law Eric Rosander and Sister in Law Amber Rosander.

Clay is proceeded in death by: his grandparents Joseph Richard and Ida Mae Lawrence, Cy Ervil Bland, Bonnie Fay Barker, his Father Charles Neil Bland, his brother Brian Keith Bland, brother Randy Keith Bland, Mother in law May Mcguire, Uncle Bill Lawrence, Aunt Shirlene Carter, Sister in law Tami Farris, great niece Emily Mcconnell, nephew Ralph Allen Rosander, Cousins: Connie Carter, Russell Lawrence and Rodney Carter.