William E. Clifford

William E. Clifford, 78, of West Hartford and Westbrook, CT, beloved husband of Nancy Grosso Clifford, died on October 26, 2011. He was the son of the late Edward and Helen Clifford of Scarsdale, NY. Born in New York, he made his home in West Hartford since 1965. Bill was a graduate of Cranwell Preparatory School in Lenox, MA, and a graduate of Iona College of New Rochelle, NY. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1952-1956, a stint that included being stationed on the U.S.S. Intrepid as an Atomic Weapons Officer. Bill was employed by Southern New England Telephone SNET Company, working for the Yellow Pages advertising department until he retired in 1991. Bill was a long standing parishioner of the Church of St. Timothy in West Hartford, CT. He was a loving and dedicated father and family man, a champion cribbage player, loved the occasional game of Scrabble and poker, and enjoyed the daily newspaper jumble. The family cottage on the shoreline in Westbrook was his home away from home. Bill is survived by his beloved wife Nancy, with whom he had been married the past 51 years and three children; Elizabeth C. Beisel and her husband Brian of Farmington, CT, Peter J. Clifford and his wife Andrea Orr Clifford of Fairfield, and William E. Clifford II, of Farmington. He leaves six adored grandchildren; Sara, Katherine and Jack Beisel, Charles, John, and Thomas Clifford. His brother, Eugene Clifford and his wife Janice of Danbury, CT, his sister, Carol Clifford of Scarsdale, NY, a brother-in-law Donald Grosso and his wife Kathleen, a sister-in-law Barbara Peterson and her husband Kenneth, and many loved nieces and nephews also survive him. The family wishes to thank all the wonderful caregivers, especially Laura Holtzhauer of Masonic Care, and the dedicated staff at St. Francis Hospital, most especially, Jorge Rathmann, M.D. and Elaine Scheinblum, R.N. Friends are invited to join Bill's family at the celebration of his Mass of Christian Burial on Monday October 31st at 10:00 a.m. in the Church of St. Timothy 1116 No. Main St. West Hartford, CT. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford. Calling hours are Sunday Oct. 30th from 4-7 p.m. in the Molloy Funeral Home 906 Farmington Ave. West Hartford. Bill's family ask that any donations be made to St. Francis Cancer Center, 94 Woodland St. Hartford, CT 06105.

William E. Clifford

September 18, 1933 - October 26, 2011