Thu Sep 12 10:21:56 UTC 2024: ## Former Scout Leader and Journalist Mark Clayton Passes Away at 79

**GENEVA, Switzerland** – Mark Allan Clayton, a long-time journalist and former leader in the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), passed away on August 2, 2024 at the age of 79.

Clayton, a native of Grand Island, Nebraska, began his career in journalism as a reporter and photographer for the Grand Island Daily Independent. He later earned a Master of Science in Journalism from Kansas State University and worked as a reporter for the Manhattan Mercury.

Clayton’s dedication to the Scouting Movement spanned over four decades. He joined the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico as a public relations worker in the 1960s and later became Director of National Events and National News Director at Boy Scout Headquarters in New Jersey.

In 1980, Clayton moved to Geneva, Switzerland, to work for the WOSM, where he held various positions including Director of Public Relations and Communications, Director of Corporate Publications, and eventually a part-time role with the WOSM Foundation. His work involved extensive travel, allowing him to interact with global leaders including Queen Elizabeth and the King of Sweden.

Clayton was also deeply involved in the theater community in Geneva, volunteering his time and expertise to the Geneva English Drama Society (GEDS), the GAOS Musical Theatre, and Howard Productions. He was known for his kind nature and his love of hosting dinner parties for his large network of friends.

A memorial event, “An American in Geneva — Celebrating the Life and Times of Mark Clayton,” will be held on September 11, 2024 at the GAOS Headquarters in Geneva. Clayton’s ashes will be scattered at Saint-Georges Cemetery at a later date.

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