Robert K. Clifford Sr.'s Obituary
Robert K. Clifford Sr. age 90 years of Dallas, Texas died January 15, 2018 in Dallas.He was born February 22, 1927 to Burton K Clifford and Helen C Cates in South Paris, Maine and grew up just one generation off the family farm located in Skowhegan, Maine. At just 3 weeks old the family moved to Oneonta, New York for his father’s job. They then settled in Glens Falls New York in the beautiful Adirondack region, and that’s where Robert grew up as the family home remained there for next 65 years.In youth Bob had all the outdoor activities he could handle. Hunting, fishing, and camping in the Adirondacks and Finger Lakes Region was always in the mix. He became an avid outdoors-man and marksman. Ice skating, ice hockey and lacrosse were his sports of choice which he played as a youth and in college.While in middle school he met the love of his life, Barbara Elizabeth Hodgins, and they began to date in high school. They later attended adjacent colleges, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Russell Sage College, both in Albany. These prominent schools are noted for producing many cross-marriages. Their partnership endured with fun loving college days making lifelong friends, hunting and camping, and riding. By riding, I mean motorcycles. Bob had a Norton 500, and his bride a BSA 350. They were not “gang” members by any means but they hung tough with friends who rode and often raced. Bob and Barbara were married February 26, 1949 in Glens Falls and honeymooned in New York City. They were married for 60 years before she passed in 2009. During the later years of her failing health Bob lovingly cared for her every need as if it was his calling.Bob graduated from Glens Falls High School in June of 1944. He had already enlisted in the Army Air Corps the prior year hoping toobtain flight training. That program was cancelled so at 17 he enlisted in the reserves. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute In Albany New York for one year and then was called up to active duty. He trained in Biloxi to work on B29 bombers and then was sent to Germany in 1946. He was given the charge of an entire section of flight mechanics working on bombers. He would often laugh and wonder what the Air Corps was thinking putting a 19 year old in charge of all that. They knew what they were doing. He was honorably discharged November 11, 1946 with the rank of Corporal. Bob remained a strong patriot and firearms enthusiast his entire life. Just last year at the age of 89 he qualified for his concealed carry permit with the highest score of the day.Bob then returned to RPI, rejoined Barbara and finished his undergraduate degree followed by a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. His Masters Thesis was a design for a cardboard manufacturing plant. The product was a new type of cardboard previously invented and patented by his father, Burton. He received his Masters degree and Union Bag Company obtained his thesis plans. They built the successful manufacturing plant the next year.After school, Bob and Barbara moved to Schenectady, New York where he found work at both of the 2 great companies there, General Electric and American Locomotive Company. They started a family and began raising their 2 children, Robin Elizabeth and Robert Jr. Bob then moved the family to Upper Montclair, New Jersey in order to work with his old college roommate’s family company, Dumont. Dumont was the company most responsible for the cathode ray tube and hence the development of television. Bob was then recruited to move to Haddonfield, New Jersey and work for a competitor, RCA, the major producer of vacuum tubes in the world. Bob’s apparent destiny was to follow the path of the latest technology. Erik Jonsson, the founder of Texas Instruments and an RPI graduate was a friend of Allen Dumont. He wrote a letter to Mark Shepherd, CEO of TI recommending he hire Bob from RCA. The family moved to Dallas in 1961 so Bob could work in the semiconductor division. The division was run by James McDade, who would become Bob’s great friend for the rest of his life.He went on to become the Facilities Manager and was involved and often in charge of the expansion of TI worldwide. This is the job he held for 25 years until his retirement in 1990. Afterwards he remained as a consultant to TI for years. Towards the end of his career Bob and Barbara were able to indulge their love of world travel as his duties included work across the globe on the expansive TI properties. Bob was fortunate enough to be at the forefront and intimately involved in the development of the entire technology industry from simple electronics to radio, radar, television, solid state processors and microchips.After moving to Dallas it wasn’t all about work. Bob’s children were growing up in the “Wild West” and that was not lost on him and Barbara. They jumped right in learning to ride and raise horses and getting back to their farming family roots. On leased land quarter horses were bred, trained and showed. Food of all types was grown. The backyard of every house often had part time chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, cows or horses. Beer was brewed and liquor distilled. The kids grew up knowing how to care for animals, ride horses and motorcycles, camp, hike, and shoot but always with a focus on education.In his last years, Bob cared for Barbara and after her passing he continued to be a constant source of guidance and support for his children and grandchildren. His love for his family was always at the core of his actions and decisions. He had a penchant for golf and played at his chosen club Brookhaven for 50 years, and well into his 80’s. He was always known for giving clear and poignant advice and for being extremely intelligent. To his last days his mind and memory were clear, sharp, and nearly flawless. It seemed he retained every memory of his life intact.Robert K Clifford is survived by his daughter Robin Clifford Blackburn of Grapevine, Texas, his son and daughter-in-law Cherry and Robert K Clifford Jr of Decatur, Texas. He is also survived by his four grandchildren John L Blackburn Jr of Weatherford, Robert B Blackburn of Grapevine, Kendall Elizabeth Clifford of Fort Worth and West Alexander Clifford of Canyon Lake, California.A graveside service for Mr. Clifford will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Restland Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Salvation Army or the NRA.
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