Clifford Lee Engle

Born in Erwin, Tennessee on June 7, 1941, Cliff earned his Bachelor’s Degree from East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. He earned his Master’s Degree in Telecommunication/Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Cliff’s Military education included Airborne and Jumpmaster training, Signal Corps Officer Advance Course, Command General Staff College, Department of the Army Inspector General Course, and the Class of 1985 U. S. Army War College.

He received his U. S. Army Officer’s commission as a 2nd Lieutenant from the East Tennessee State University Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program on August 21, 1964.

Military service included tours of duty in France; Germany; Vietnam; Thailand; Korea; 82nd Airborne Division, Fayetteville, NC; Ft. Monmouth, NJ; Ft. Huachuca, AZ; Pentagon, Arlington, VA; and several tours of duty at MacDill Air Force Base, FL to include the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF), Central Command (CENTCOM) and the U. S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). His last tenure at SOCOM was as Director, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Systems (J6).

Military awards included the U. S. Army Signal Corps Association Silver Order of Mercury #320 and Master Parachutist Badge as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, (2) Meritorious Service Medals, (2) Vietnam Service Medals, Vietnam Campaign Medal, German Parachutist Medal, Tet Counteroffensive, and Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase III, IV, V, VI.

After actively serving in the U. S. Army for over 28 years, Cliff retired on May 31, 1993 as a Colonel at SOCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, FL. Post military retirement, Cliff worked with SOCOM to insure Y2K compliance, later providing support of communication activities for the Ministry of Defense, Republic of Croatia.

One of many passions, Cliff was also an amateur radio operator. His amateur radio contacts can now call him a “Silent Key”. K4VAH “73”.

In 1999 Cliff was baptized and became a member of Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, FL. He participated with the Idlewild Disaster Relief team providing amateur radio support. For the past several years due to his numerous disabilities and unrelenting pain, he was unable to attend the live Idlewild services, but he was extremely grateful the live services were available to watch on his iPad. (www.idlewild.org)

Cliff’s parents were James Clifford Engle and Linda Dell Hardin Engle. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Paula J. Engle; two sons, Clifford Ross Engle, (Melinda Sue) of Seattle, WA and Lyle Paul Engle (Amy Lynn) of Tampa, Florida; Seven (7) Grandchildren: Breigh-Anna D. Engle (Ronnie), Bridgette MacKenzie Engle (Max), Kyleigh Alexis Engle, Olivia Grace Engle, Gunnar Jackson Engle, Amelia Lorelei Engle, and Zachary Kyle Engle; Two (2) great granddaughters, Ryleigh Mae and Savannah Jean; Three (3) sisters: Kathryn Sue Bowman (Ronald) of Elizabethton, TN, Joy Nell Masters (David) and Barbara Ann Mitchell (Harvey) both of Jonesborough Tennessee, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 10:00 am with a service to follow at 11 am at Blount and Curry Funeral Home Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W Bearss Av, Tampa, Florida 33618. Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Special Operations Warrior Foundation ( https://specialops.org/ ) and the Alzheimer’s Foundation ( https://alzfdn.org/ )