Ronald Clanton

Ronald G. Clanton, 76, of Arnold, died of heart failure June 6 at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Mr. Clanton worked at the former Westinghouse Electric Co. for 39 years, initially as a mechanical engineer and later as a systems engineering manager, working on many defense department programs over the years. These included AWACS, F-16, F-104 and Side Look Radar. He also worked with the Mercury astronauts in the early space program on certain control systems.

His grasp of complicated defense systems gave the government distinct advantages during the Viet Nam and Korean wars, his family said.

He also worked for several years as a manager of Westinghouse's elevator business and its computer engineering and information systems.

Mr. Clanton was born Dec. 28, 1929, and reared in Boston, Mass. He lived in Scott Plains, N.J., for five years, and had a summer home in New Brunswick, Canada, for 45 years.

During the Korean War he served in the Air Force.

Mr. Clanton tutored computer science at Anne Arundel Community College, and traveled much of the world during his business career. He enjoyed water skiing, snow skiing, ice skating and sailing.

Surviving are his wife, Rosemary D. Clanton; one daughter, Claudia C. Woods of Davidsonville; one son, Arthur F. Clanton of Severna Park; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Burial will be private. Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com.

Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 800 Wyman Parkway, Suite 110, Baltimore, MD 21211, or the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1400, New York, NY 10122.




As published in "The Capital Newspaper" Annapolis, MD 06/09/2006