Obituary of Richard C. Layton

Richard C. Layton Olean, NY Richard C. Layton, 98, passed away Tuesday (May 7, 2024) at Cuba Memorial Hospital with his daughter Kathy and his granddaughter Crystal by his side. It was only in the past couple of months that he was unable to live in his home that he loved so much. Born March 19, 1926 in Olean, he was the son of Jason and Anna Karst Layton. On October 25, 1952 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Allegany he married Vivian A. Holtz who predeceased him October 20, 2017. Richard attended Olean High School and in 1944 at the age of 17, joined the US Navy to serve in WWII. In addition to other missions, he was aboard the second wave of flotillas to invade Normandy at Omaha Beach. Upon his discharge in 1947 he was awarded the American, European, and Asiatic-Pacific theatre medals. He began his employment at Layton’s Greenhouse which was his parent’s business in West Olean. For 15 years he worked road construction for Local #621, specifically Lane Construction. He always enjoyed outdoor work and for a period of time he drove a delivery truck for the Charles Chips Co. and also for the former Meadowbrook Dairy in Allegany. He then worked as a driver for the former MDS Laboratories in Olean, again a job that brought him in contact with a number of people every day. Along with his wife Vivian, Richard attended St. John’s Lutheran Church for many years. He was an excellent gardener, particularly a wide variety of vegetables which friends and neighbors all enjoyed and he took immaculate care of his home and lawn. He had a keen interest in “to-scale” model airplanes and introduced many interested people to the hobby. He was instrumental in forming the local club known as the Olean Hawks. Richard leaves behind his 5 children, Karen (Dan) Valdez of Inverness, FL, Kathy (Mike Lippert) Baire of Limestone, Richard (Becky) Layton of Winston-Salem, NC, Linda (David) Mueller of Port Richey, FL, and William Layton of Ravenna, OH; 12 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; 2 great-great granddaughters, and many nieces and nephews, including a special nephew Terry Layton. In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by a sister Margaret Hunt, and 3 brothers Jason Layton, Donald Layton, and Leon Layton, and a special nephew Leon Layton, Jr.. The family will receive friends on Wednesday (May 15, 2024) from noon to 3pm at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Rd., Olean. A funeral service will begin at 3pm in the funeral home. Rev. Rick Price, pastor of Church of Christ in Bradford, PA, will officiate. Burial will be next to his wife in Allegany Cemetery. Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Cattaraugus County SPCA, 1644 Olean-Hinsdale Rd., Olean, NY 14760, or to St. John’s Lutheran Church, 34 N. 4th St., Allegany, NY 14706.