Claude E. Clifton

Claude Elmer Clifton, 96, a man of God, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, teacher, outdoorsman, philanthropist, entrepreneur, or “Granddad” as he was affectionately known, passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 7th, 2013. He was born to the late John William Clifton and Fee Wickliffe Clifton on May 19th, 1916 in a small Indian village in northeastern Oklahoma called Big Cabin. Stories of his life were that of legend. For as long as anyone can remember he was never without his trademark pocket protector, filled with an arsenal of writing and measuring utensils necessary for sketching out one of his many ideas, diagrams or circuits, and his sweat stained LBJ Open Road Stetson hat. He was a man among men, fearless of everything except the good Lord, and was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. He always maintained a positive attitude even up until the day he passed away. He lived a life that most of us can only hope to live. Growing up in Bulcher, TX he was a star athlete in Cook County two years running. He was captain of the basketball team and took first place in nearly every decathlon event, including tennis. At 17 years of age he was paid $18.50 a game to play Sunday baseball for the Bulcher Oilers, a local Kewanee Oil Company men’s league. That same year he dropped out of high school and went to work driving rigs from one location to another in what was then considered one of the largest oil field booms in Texas. He eventually graduated high school and in 1938 he met his beautiful wife Sarah Virginia Guion while working as a roughneck in Alice, TX. They had two boys, Claude and Michael. He was deferred from going into the service because those working in the oil fields at that time were supporting the war effort by drilling and pumping crude to the surface. However, in 1944 he received his draft notice and was requested to be in San Antonio for a physical. As Granddad explained it, “once I passed the physical and Hitler found out I was coming over there, he killed himself….Hirohito just gave up,” and that along with his time as a civilian pilot was the extent of his military career. In 1946, after 13 years in the Texas oil fields, a tragic event on a Sun Oil derrick convinced him that a safer line of work would be better for him and his family, and with Sarah’s approval he became an electrician. He then started G.C. Electric in Falfurrias, TX and began repairing appliances, radios and contracting. In 1952 he moved G.C. Electric to Kingsville and his further success in a larger city opened doors to other contracting opportunities at Texas A&I University and the Kingsville Naval Air Station. Needing a change of scenery, he and Sarah decided to move further west and in January, 1962, sold their businesses and headed for the mountains of New Mexico, eventually settling in Flagstaff, Arizona. In 1982 he took a break from his profession and hung up his tool belt after 16.5 years as the head electrical engineer for Northern Arizona University Physical Plant. As a way to stay busy in retirement he focused his attention on prospecting, working the creeks and mountains of Arizona, lakes and rivers of California and even spent six weeks in Nome Alaska. He was a rock hound, arrowhead hunter and loved to collect old tools and antiques, anything from coins to barbed wire and everything in between. Claude is survived by his sons, Claude (Jean), Michael (Norma Jean); sister, Geraldine Chisom; sister-in-law Betty Jean Bush, grandchildren, Claude, Bruce (Trudy), Christine, Brian (Jessica), and their mother Anatala, Michael (Amy) and Justin; great grandchildren, Jordan, Brook, Sierra, Davis, Abbey, Caleb, Mason and Molly, many nieces and nephews, and his loving care givers and extended family Carl, Ellie and Shelly. He was preceded in death by his beautiful and spirited wife Sarah Virginia Guion Clifton; brothers, Robert and Johnny; sisters, Maybelle, Willie Mae, Virginia and Lucille. Thank you Granddad for always being there!