He was a veteran of World War II in the US Army and served in the Pacific with the 1941 Ordinance Ammunition Company. He recently told the Hospice Nurse, Lisa, that he had done everything he wanted in life – Played bluegrass music multiple times on the radio with his band in Sanford, NC, owned a 1947 Harley Davidson motorcycle, and owned his own airplane. He worked a lot of years at Liberty Broomworks and when they closed he went to work at Hardin’s Wholesale Florist where he retired. A year later he came back to work from Thanksgiving to Mother’s Day helping make deliveries. He worked until he was 80 years old. In recent years, he was sad because he had outlived all of his closest friends. If you are older you may have called him “Dit” but everyone else knew him by “Smokey” Elliott.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, March 12, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at The Loflin Funeral Home Chapel, 212 Swannanoa Ave., Liberty, NC with Rev. Jim Groome officiating; burial will follow in Dr. Clyde M. Gilmore Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Sunday evening from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Loflin Funeral Home.
Clifton was the son of the late Grady Ralph and Elizabeth Farmer Elliott and was also preceded in death by his sister, Mary E. Hemphill and brother, Clarence “Horn” R. Elliott.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ruth Robinson Elliott; daughter, Elizabeth E. Coble (Larry); grandchildren, Jessica Coble Russell and Erica Coble Flinchum (Justin); great-grandchildren, Gray Russell, Asa Russell, Brooks Flinchum, Baydyn Flinchum, and Riley Flinchum.
The family wishes to thank Lisa, Jeanette, Bonnie, and Kim from Hospice for the exceptional care they gave over the last few weeks.
At the family’s request, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Alamance-Caswell, 918 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27217, or to Shiloh United Methodist Church, PO Box 774, Liberty, NC 27298.
Please share your thoughts and memories with the family at www.LoflinFH.com.
Loflin Funeral Home of Liberty is honored to serve the Elliott family.
