Clinton James Sewell was born on May 19th, 1941 in Beloit, Kansas, the son of Samuel and Irene (Burger) Sewell. He passed away on August 19th, 2020 in Lawrence, Kansas at the age of 79.
Clint grew up in Beloit; after high school he spent 2 years at Fort Hays State College in pre-engineering, and then transferred to Kansas State University where he completed his degree in mechanical engineering as a member of Pi Tau Sigma, the mechanical engineering international honor society. He married Barbara Litton in 1959, and in 1969 they welcomed a daughter, Krystal. After he graduated from Kansas State University, he took a job with the US Navy working at what was then called Naval Ordnance Lab White Oak near Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside Washington D.C. He filed 8 patents for projects he worked on while part of the lab.
Clint married his second wife, Gayle Ford, in 1975. They felt a desire to get back to the land, and bought some farmland just south of Beloit, on what would eventually become Izzy Trail. The farm operated as The Sunshine Factory, a pottery studio, vegetable farm, and star-crossed fruit orchard. They were a great hit with the Sunny Slope folks, bringing fresh vegetables into the community each summer for many years. Clint also taught pottery classes in his studio, and The Sunshine Factory was a regular exhibitor at many craft festivals over the years, selling pottery, macramé, and art. They welcomed a son, Jacob, to their life in 1978. Clint and Gayle were founding members of the Willow Springs Arts Council and helped create the Chautauqua arts festival, which ran for many years each fall in Beloit’s Chautauqua Park. Clint was very involved with the Arts Council’s purchase and renovation of the Union Pacific Depot to be used as a meeting and performance space.
Clint joined his father at Sewell’s Machine Shop, building custom wood-burning stoves. On Sam’s retirement, Clint took over the shop and ran it as Sewell Machine until his retirement in 2018. He took an active interest in keeping the art of blacksmithing alive, attending get-togethers with other interested metal workers in the Midwest. He will be remembered as a man of quiet intellect and dry wit.
Clint is survived by his wife Gayle, his daughter Krystal Sewell and husband Tim Pricer of Montpelier, Vermont, and son Jacob Sewell and wife Alana Kramer of Lawrence, as well as two grandchildren, Samuel and Lydia Sewell of Lawrence.
He was predeceased by father Samuel Sewell, previous wife Barbara Lytton, and mother Irene Sewell.
In light of current events, no formal service is currently scheduled, but memorials may be given to the Mitchell County Historical Society, the Mitchell County Food Pantry, the Kansas Humanities Council, and/or No Kid Hungry.