Derek Clayton Memorial Fund
Cheryl Butera is mourning the loss of her beloved son Derek Clayton who, at the young age of 31, passed away suddenly Saturday February 29,2020. Derek was a lover of classic cars and good music who enjoyed an education in the culinary arts. Derek was famous for being a prankster and had a great sarcastic sense of humor. He lived his mother and step dad. He said his mom was his rock.
The message Derek sent to his mother on Mother’s Day 2016 read, “Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful mother Cheryl. Without her I don’t know where I would be. Thank you for being by my side through the years no matter what! Her love is truly unconditional…and I consider her my rock through all of my endeavors. Thank you for being my mom, I love you, enjoy your day.”
Cheryl is now facing the deepest well of sadness a mother can face, the loss of a child. During this difficult time we do not want her burdened additionally by financial hardship. We are looking for donations; every little bit helps, to assist her with funeral expenses. Services will be at Evoy Funeral Home in North Cape May on Thursday March 5,2020 (obituary available on Evoy’s website).
“The line etched into a headstone between the dates of birth and death represents each step we take here on earth…and every single breath. To many, it is just a hyphen… marking time between the years, but in that little dash is a lifetime of laughter, love and tears. Some deem themselves successful if they can spend in large amounts, but how you live your only dash is all that really counts. Because success should not be measured in what you will buy, or own, but in the pride you feel in the person you’re with…when you are all alone. Time steals our days and hours before we recognize the theft and we live each day not knowing how much of our dash is left. Responsibilities of daily life; the bills, the job, the cash affect the way we choose to use this important little dash. Memories in the making are happening now and happening here; if we don’t make the time, they quickly disappear. To experience each moment, to laugh…to love…to live…to learn just how much to take from life…and just how much to give. Consider your lifetime as your novel- you, the sole author and creator, writing and living every chapter for those to read and cherish, later. Will they say you lived your dash with worry, stress and chatter or know you seized every chance you had to: MAKE EVERY MOMENT MATTER?”
Derek lived his dash and, despite his troubles,lived his short life to the fullest. As his beloved mother’s friends and family we would like to extend our most sincere sympathies and perhaps ease her burden in the slightest. The loss of a child is every mother’s worst fear no matter their age, let’s rally and make this time slightly easier for the family dear Derek leaves behind.