January 18, 2026, 85, Kinston – Roland Ernest Clayborne, 85, of Kinston, North Carolina, was called home to the Throne of Jesus on January 18, 2026, where he was reunited with his beloved wife, Marie, and a host of family and friends. He was born at home on May 31, 1940, in the Hugo area of Lenoir County to the late Eugene Bancroft Clayborne and Helen Bryan Casey Clayborne.
Raised on the family farm, Ernest spent his youth looping tobacco alongside his siblings before graduating from Contentnea High School in 1958. He attended East Carolina Teachers College (now ECU) before choosing to step away from his studies to build a life with his sweetheart, Marie. In those early years, he worked tirelessly as a knitting mechanic and an insurance agent, all while serving his country in the Army National Guard.
Ernest’s career in the textile industry was marked by dedication and innovation. While working full-time, he earned an Associates Degree in Industrial Technology from Lenoir Community College, eventually transitioning into management and product development. He played a pivotal role in creating fabrics that are still widely used today.
To his friends, he was “Ernie,” but to everyone who knew him, he was a virtuoso of the strings. He was a lightning-fast mandolin picker and a talented guitarist who wrote incredible songs that remained hidden gems. A true connoisseur of “good” country music, he held his favorites, Johnny, Willie, Waylon, Merle, George, Hank, and Bocefus in the highest regard.
When he wasn’t playing music, Ernest enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing golf and sharing dinners with Marie at Sandpiper or King’s. He was her greatest supporter, standing by her side as she built a reputation for the finest cakes in Lenoir County. A faithful follower of Christ, he was a faithful member of Bethel Church of Kinston for 40 years, where he could almost always be found sitting in his usual pew.
He is survived by his children: Sherry Clayborne, Ernest Bryan Clayborne (and spouse Elaine), Mark Anthony Clayborne (and spouse Sherri); his cherished grandchildren: Matthew Kyle Robinson, Megan Alexis Robinson, Zachary Thomas Robinson, Nathaniel Braxton Clayborne, and Madison Brooke Clayborne, Michelle Gray, Michael Shaver, Nicole Howes; great grand children, Olivia Gray, Jaxson Gray and Nora Howes and his siblings: Eugene Clayborne, Lyman Clayborne, Benny Clayborne, and Barbara Clayborne, along with their families.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Rouse Funeral Home in LaGrange, North Carolina. A celebration of his life and interment will follow at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Westview Cemetery on Hwy 70 in Kinston.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to Bethel Church, 1936 Banks School Road, Kinston, NC 28504, or Kitty Askins Hospice Center, 107 Handley Park Court, Goldsboro, NC 27534.
Arrangements are entrusted to Rouse Funeral Home, La Grange.
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