John Joseph Clifford of Astatula, Fla., passed away peacefully at The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, N.J., on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. He was 84.
Born to John and Catherine Clifford in the Bronx, N.Y., he had lived in the Bronx and then Fair Lawn, N.J., then Vernon Twp., N.J., Hamburg, N.J., before moving to Astatula in 2017.
John attended John Jay College and then worked as a policeman for the New York Police Department in the Bronx, retiring in 1979, he then worked for the engineering department at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., for many years. John served with the U.S. Army National Guard for several years in New York City and took great joy in baseball, football, bowling and stock trading.
John is predeceased by his wife, Anna M. Clifford, in 2007; and a grandson, Adam Coppola, in 2012.
He is the devoted father of Bernadette M. Coppola of The Villages, Fla., Catherine Schultz of Astatula, Fla., Jeanne Clifford of West Milford, N.J., John E. Clifford of Astatula, Fla., and Marie Lussier and her husband, Denis, of Sparta, N.J.; loving grandfather of Christopher Schultz, Nick Schultz and his wife, Kailyn, Gavin Coppola, Brianna Tramutolo and Maggie Schultz; and cherished great-grandfather of James Coppola.
Mass of Christian Burial was at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Franklin, N.J., on Jan. 13. Interment followed at North Hardyston Cemetery, Hardyston, N.J.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 would be greatly appreciated.