A Composer in a Family Known for a Pitcher
At 18, Christopher George Kershaw was directing music for the Dallas Summer Musicals. That early responsibility offers a striking introduction to a man now often identified through his son, pitcher Clayton Kershaw. I prefer to begin with music because it was Christopher’s own field, long before baseball made the family name familiar nationally.
Also known as Chris, and sometimes recorded as Christopher George Clayton Kershaw, he became a composer, singer, producer, and advertising jingle writer. His achievements included a Clio Award. He died in Dallas on April 28, 2013, aged 63.
His life connected performance, commercial creativity, three marriages, and a blended family. Those elements deserve attention without being folded into his son’s sporting résumé.
From Manhattan to Dallas
Christopher was born in Manhattan in May 1949. May 24 is the more strongly supported day, although May 23 appears in another family index.
His parents were the Reverend George Clayton Kershaw and Alice Irene “Peggy” Evans Kershaw. The family moved to Dallas, where Christopher attended University Park Elementary School and St. Mark’s School of Texas.
His older sister, Joanne Margaret Kershaw Brockman, was his only sibling. They remained close until her death in 2004. Their shared childhood belongs to Christopher’s own story, distinct from the later attention surrounding Clayton.
His college education included the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, followed by Southern Methodist University. Exact class years and qualifications are not established here, so I would not add a graduation date.
| Detail | Established outline |
|---|---|
| Birth | May 24, 1949, with a May 23 conflict |
| Birthplace | Manhattan, New York |
| Childhood city | Dallas, Texas |
| Parents | George Clayton and Alice Irene Kershaw |
| Sister | Joanne Margaret Kershaw Brockman |
| Main career | Music and advertising jingles |
| Death | April 28, 2013 |
Music Advertising and a Clio Award
Christopher’s musical work began in his teens. By approximately 1967, at age 18, he was directing music for the Dallas Summer Musicals.
He later wrote advertising jingles and won a Clio, an award associated with creative advertising. He also worked at Jam Creative Productions as a composer, singer, and producer. I see those roles as complementary parts of a commercial music career: writing, performing, and helping shape a finished production.
No complete discography, list of advertisements, or award year is established in this account. It would be easy to decorate his career with guessed campaigns, but the known details already show a professional musician with recognized work.
Musicians who remembered him also associated him with a group called The Majority of One. I would treat that as a recollection of his band work rather than a fully reconstructed history with dates, members, and recordings.
Marriages and the Birth of Clayton
Christopher’s first marriage was to Deborah Little DeBerry. Family memorial details give August 19, 1972, as the wedding date and July 8, 1986, as the divorce date. Those precise dates carry a different level of certainty from the broad fact of his later household.
He married Marianne Louise Tombaugh on September 24, 1987. Their son Clayton Edward Kershaw was born in Dallas on March 19, 1988.
The timing of Christopher and Marianne’s divorce is inconsistent. One account says Clayton was ten, pointing to approximately 1998, while another dates the divorce to 2000. I would describe the separation as occurring around 1998 to 2000 rather than forcing the two versions into agreement.
Marianne raised Clayton in the Dallas area after the marriage ended. She died in May 2023, a decade after Christopher.
Carolyn and a Blended Household
Christopher married Carolyn Burris in 2000. She was his wife at the time of his death.
Carolyn’s daughters, Nicolette Noel Young and Madeline Elise Brooks, were part of the surviving family. Her granddaughters Eden Noel Nalley and Luxe Nicole Young were also included in the family’s remembrance of Christopher.
Those relationships are distinct from Clayton’s children. They belong to the blended household through Carolyn, rather than being daughters or grandchildren through Christopher’s son.
| Person | Family connection |
|---|---|
| Marianne Louise Tombaugh | Former wife and Clayton’s mother |
| Carolyn Burris | Wife at Christopher’s death |
| Clayton Edward Kershaw | Only son |
| Ellen Melson Kershaw | Daughter-in-law |
| Nicolette and Madeline | Carolyn’s daughters |
| Eden and Luxe | Carolyn’s granddaughters |
Clayton’s Baseball Career and Family
Clayton became a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher, principally associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His achievements include multiple Cy Young Awards and World Series success.
Before that professional career, he attended Highland Park High School and played football alongside future NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford. He married his high school girlfriend, Ellen Melson, on December 4, 2010.
Clayton and Ellen’s publicly named children have included Cali Ann, Cooper Ellis, Chance James, and Charley Clayton. Their family is described as having five children, but the fifth child’s name is not consistently established in the account available here.
Christopher died in 2013, before some of his grandchildren were born. The genealogical relationship can exist without a personal meeting. Nor should Clayton’s baseball contracts be used as a measure of Christopher’s finances.
Remembering Christopher in 2013
Christopher died on April 28, 2013. A memorial service followed on May 1 at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas.
His remembrance included family members, classmates, and musicians. Together, those connections suggest the different communities his life touched.
No reliable salary, estate value, or personal net worth is established. His musical achievements are concrete enough without attaching an unsupported financial number.
FAQ
Was Christopher George Kershaw a musician?
Yes. He worked as a composer, singer, producer, and jingle writer and won a Clio Award.
Who was his son?
His only son was Clayton Edward Kershaw, the Major League Baseball pitcher.
When did Christopher die?
He died on April 28, 2013, in Dallas, aged 63. His memorial service took place on May 1.
Was Carolyn Clayton’s mother?
No. Marianne Louise Tombaugh was Clayton’s mother. Carolyn Burris was Christopher’s later wife.
