Obituary: Jerry Layton

Jerry Layton, a long-time Carson City resident and the state's former chief building inspector for public works, died Aug. 8, 2010, at Carson Tahoe Hospital. He was 78.

A service will be at 3 p.m. Aug. 28, 2010, at Walton's Funeral Home in Carson City.

Among the prominent projects Mr. Layton worked on as the state building inspector were the remodel of the University of Nevada, Reno, the Thomas & Mack Center for the University of Las Vegas, community colleges in Carson City and Yerington and a number of other developments, ranging from fish hatcheries to prisons.

Born on March 23, 1932, in Altadena, Calif., Mr. Layton grew up in Tujunga, a community in the far northern reaches of the city of Los Angeles. His family was in the bakery business for decades and one of Mr. Layton's earliest memories was his dad putting him on a box so he could wash pans.

While serving in the Army, Mr. Layton was sent to Korea in 1953 as a member of the infantry. However, once his bakery background was discovered he was made a cook. 

After the war, Mr. Layton moved to Northern Nevada in 1959 to work for Harrah's, first in Tahoe and then Reno. In 1966 he completed specialized training and joined the state as an air conditioning specialist for the buildings and grounds division. He retired in 1995.

In 1968, Mr. Layton and his family moved to Carson City where he and his father, John Layton, spent nearly three years building the family a house where he spent the remainder of his life. During that time, Mr. Layton also was charged with managing the personal home of then Gov. Paul Laxalt.

Living the Northern Nevada lifestyle, Mr. Layton and his wife, Eva, enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing. Later in life he put even more energy into creating a bountiful feeding station for birds in his open backyard, catering especially to the quail, and never minded (much) when the deer would nibble his ample garden.

A sports fan who gave up on the Rams after they moved to St. Louis and on the Dodgers when he moved to Nevada, Mr. Layton remained a huge follower of UNR Wolf Pack sports, especially baseball, football and basketball. In 2004, he traveled to St. Louis to see the basketball team make its first, and still only, appearance in an NCAA Sweet 16 game.

At times Mr. Layton dabbled in car restorations, a 1956 Sunbeam hardtop coupe and gold 1974 VW Super Beetle come to mind. He was much happier working with wood, and his lasting contributions include a large oak entertainment system built without plans or nails, a dinning room table and a substantial wooden rocking horse for his two grandchildren.

Dogs were a regular part of the family life, from a Weimerheimer when he hunted birds in the 1960s to a succession of Scottish Terrriers and finally a West Highland Terrier.

Mr. Layton is survived by his wife, Eva, of Carson City, sister Darleen Layton of Reno, daughter Suzanne McClain of San Diego, son-in-law Tim McClain and two grandchildren, Patrick and Cassidy. Services are pending.