Edwin M. Clayton ’55

Ed, a pathologist whose classmates knew him as Ed Cieresko, died July 28, 2025. The name confusion arises because through high school and Princeton Ed used Cieresko, his family name, then at Yale Medical School he changed his name (and his Princeton diploma) to Clayton.

Ed was born June 8, 1933, in Trenton and attended Trenton High School, where he was active in debate and the forum club. At Princeton, he majored in chemistry and joined Court Club, the Pre-Medical Society, and the Chemistry Club, and was active in Whig-Clio. His senior roommates were John Eleuteri, Don Kline, and Larry Mitnick.

Ed and his wife, Fran, loved living on the shore, first in New Jersey and then for most of his life in Old Lyme, Conn. In addition to shore living they loved to travel, which they took up when Fran switched her profession from nursing to becoming a travel agent. When the switch was made, says Fran, “We didn’t know how much we would enjoy it. But we sure did,” and they traveled nearly everywhere: “China, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Fiji, Egypt, Tunisia, most of Europe and Scandinavia. It was a lot more fun than nursing.”

Ed is survived by Fran; son Richard; daughter Nancy ’84 *88; and four granddaughters.