Cliff was born on 12 March 1935 and raised in Steveston, just outside of Vancouver BC. He joined the RCAF in 1953 after secondary school and took his initial RCAF trades training at Aylmer Ontario. Successful graduation saw him posted to Trenton, Claresholm, Clinton, St.Sylvestre, LaMacaza, Baldy Hughes, Chatham, Montreal, ADCHQ North Bay, CFTSHQ Trenton and finally ACHQ Winnipeg. After his 1959 marriage his furniture required moving in and out of 15 houses. That averaged out to a move every 24 months. Retiring in 1980 he pursued a number of Public Service employment opportunities (Agriculture Canada, Postal Canada, Vancouver Island Health Authority and BC Legislature). The total DND and Public Service employment totaled 50 years. Cliff and his wife, Anne settled in a retirement community in the Victoria suburb of Saanichton where he stayed active by volunteering for a number of worthy projects and playing a little golf.  He loved to travel nationally and internationally and looked forward to visiting every corner of B.C. In 2005 Cliff survived quadruple by-pass surgery only to be smitten with a stroke a few days later. He struggled through several seizures and strokes over the next few years and finally succumbed to one on 9 April 2009.