Clayton Poitras Jr., 74, passed away on Saturday August 21, 2021, lovingly surrounded by his wife, children and dog at the McClure-Miller Respite House, Colchester, VT. Clay was a true renaissance man with numerous hobbies and interests in his lifetime, including any type of angling, hunting, drawing, painting, music, cooking, and observing and photographing nature. He had an abiding interest in the natural sciences beginning at an early age that was reinforced by the curator of the Trailside natural science museum in Springfield, MA who encouraged and mentored his interest in nature. Clay's enthusiasm was rewarded by receiving the George Ellsworth Award for Proficiency in Natural Science at the age of fifteen. Over his lifetime – particularly in his retirement years - he spent many hours, and walked many miles, exploring, observing, photographing, and documenting the natural world. He shared his bird photos and sightings data with other nature enthusiasts through the online eBird project of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. His greatest recreational pastime was reading. He was at times a voracious reader often consuming several books a week, on topics ranging widely from the sciences to history and historical fiction. His happiest moments were the birth of his daughter and son. Clay took great pride in his children and their accomplishments, and treasured the time with his family on trips and vacations to Vermont waters and the Maine coast. Clay was raised and educated in Springfield, MA through his Junior year in high school and graduated from Burlington High School after his family relocated to Vermont. After graduation he worked for General Electric Company in Burlington as a Quality Control Inspector. He enlisted in the US Army, service branch Artillery, Air Defense Missiles in 1966 and served as HAWK Missile Battery Acquisition Section Chief and Battery Chemical, Biological and Radiological Non-Commissioned Officer. He reached the rank of SGT E-5, receiving several letters of commendation, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, and was honorably discharged and separated from active service in 1969. Clay completed his undergraduate education at Johnson State College where he met his sweetheart and wife Gail. He graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science with Distinction, Biology major and Chemistry minor. He received three Board of Trustee citations for superior academic performance; election to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges; and election to the National Emerald Key Honor Society. Clay attained Dean's List in all semesters and at graduation was awarded the Lula F. Potter Cup for Academic Achievement in recognition of highest class standing. Clay continued his lifelong learning and in 1988 obtained a Master of Public Administration from the University of Vermont, concentration in Public Budgeting, Information and Control Systems. He was inducted into the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honorary Society for Public Affairs and Administration and was a member of the American Society for Public Administration and the Vermont Association of Certified Public Managers. Clay worked in Vermont state government in a variety of transportation planning and management roles for the Agency of Transportation, retiring after 37 years. During his tenure he received many merit awards and certificates of appreciation from the State, the Agency of Transportation, communities, and regional planning organizations; most notably receiving Employee of the Year 1983, John T. Gray Manager of the Year 1987, and a Public Service Excellence Award from Gov. Howard Dean, M.D. 1994. Clay was dedicated to community service and proudly served on the Board of School Commissioners, Montpelier Public School District 1990 to March 1996, serving as chair of the Policy and Facilities committees, and as a member of the Budget and Finance, and Negotiations and Personnel committees. He was a Certified Volunteer Youth Sports Coach, National Youth Sports Coaches Association and coached in Montpelier's youth baseball program. Clay will be dearly missed by his wife Gail of 47 years, his daughter Rebecca and son Matthew. He will be lovingly remembered by his four siblings: brother Jeffrey and wife Angela, brother James, sister Cheryl Nehez, and sister Sara Pagan and husband Mark; surviving in-laws Barry and Shelley Ibey, Brian and Laura Ibey, and Richard and Heidi Ibey; many nieces, nephews and cousins in Vermont, New York, Texas, and southern New England. Clay is predeceased by father Clayton and mother Alice. The family would like to publicly express their deep gratitude and sincere appreciation for the support, care, and comfort that Clay and his family received from the dedicated nursing staff at Central Vermont Medical Center 2 South, UVM Medical Center Miller 5, and finally from all the staff at the McClure Miller Respite House. A private service will be held in October followed by interment at the Vermont Veterans Cemetery, Randolph, Vermont with military honors. Arrangements are by Guare & Sons Funeral Home, Montpelier Vermont. To honor Clay's memory please consider a donation to the McClure Miller Respite House, Colchester, Vermont or support the variety of natural history and environmental programs offered by the North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, Vermont. To share online condolences and memories of Clay, please visit: www.guareandsons.com.