Stephen Fletcher Clayton

Stephen Fletcher Clayton, 31, was called home to the Lord Jesus on Monday, October 12, 2026 near Kimball, South Dakota. He was born on June 9, 1995 in Altamonte Springs, Florida and raised in Maitland and Winter Park, Florida. He graduated from Dommerich Elementary, Maitland Middle, and Winter Park High School’s Class of 2013. He was a member of the Sound of Wildcats Marching Band for three years and the Chorus his senior year. It was during these childhood years that he discovered his love for music, particularly his love for trombone playing.

After graduating high school, Stephen attended and graduated from Columbus State University Schwob School of Music with a Bachelors degree in Music Performance. During his time in college, a faithful friend shared the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God with him and he repented of his sins and trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of his sins, experiencing the joy of the Lord’s salvation. After this, Stephen’s love for the Lord and the word of God grew, he became a faithful member at CrossPointe Church, was discipled by many faithful Christians, and discovered a passion to not only share the good news of Jesus with others but also to preach the trustworthiness of the Bible, God’s word to the church. After graduating college, he became the Principal Bass Trombonist for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for a year in Canada. He also subbed for the Atlanta, Columbus, and Alabama symphonies.

After college and his time in Canada, Stephen felt God calling him into ministry. In Fall of 2020, he entered Bethlehem College and Seminary where he graduated with his MDiv in 2024. During his second year of seminary, he met and married his wife, Katie Jayne O’Shea. They were married on July 16, 2022 in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Soon after, the Lord blessed them with the joy of their firstborn son, David Joshua Clayton who was born on August 31, 2023. After graduating seminary, Stephen was called by the Lord to pastor a small church in Becker, MN called Becker Evangelical Free Church. He began his pastoral ministry in June of 2024 and faithfully served the church until his death.

Stephen was a faithful and joyful follower of Jesus Christ, a devoted husband, and a loving father. He loved and lead his family well, always cherishing his wife and nourishing her with the word of God, discipling his sons to Jesus through consistent teaching and prayer, and leading his family in nightly family devotionals after a time of joyful feasting around the dinner table. He always made his family his first priority after Christ, serving them in countless ways, playing with his boys, taking them on family walks, and dancing with his wife in the kitchen.

He was a loving son and brother. He sought to honor his parents well for the glory of God and to love his siblings well by investing in their lives. He loved to play the trombone for family birthdays, and he always made his sweet mother and sister laugh with his great sense of humor and perfectly timed movie quotes.

As a pastor of God’s people, he was a faithful student of God’s word, a passionate preacher who faithfully proclaimed the gospel week in and week out, a kind and compassionate shepherd, a charitable and patient teacher of the word, a man of conviction who sought to lead God’s people toward greater joy in Jesus and deeper gospel maturity, and a joyful warrior for the cause of Christ.

Stephen was a faithful friend and encourager. He loved to read good books, and run and be in God’s creation. He was an extremely gifted musician. He played the bass trombone, guitar, and piano, and he had a beautiful singing voice that rang out clearly and joyfully when singing hymns with his family and singing praises to God with his people.

Those left to cherish Stephen’s memory: his wife Katie Jayne Clayton, his sons John Stephen (1) and Daniel Fletcher (due December 28), all of Monticello, MN; his mother Jennifer Fletcher, Kingsport, TN; his father Craig Clayton, Colorado Springs, CO, his brother Rick (and his wife Cera and their son James), Winter Park, FL; his sister Spencer (and her partner John McHale), Vicenza, Italy; his in-laws Dan and Angie O’Shea, his brother-in-law, Aidan O’Shea (and his fiancee Kaya Foote), and his grandparents in-law, Dale and Jayne Reid, all of Spearfish, SD, along with many uncles, aunts, and cousins.

He will be missed immeasurably but we take comfort in the truth that he is with his God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In lieu of flowers, donations to honor the life of Stephen may be made to Bethlehem College and Seminary of Minneapolis, MN, DesiringGod of Minneapolis, MN, and CSU Schwob School of Music of Columbus, GA.

Friends and family will gather for a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 23, 2026 at The North Church in Mounds View, Minnesota. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m.