Clayton William (Bill) Clifford passed away at his home on Sunday July 26, 2026, at the age of 86. He was born on March 19, 1940, in Enid Oklahoma to the late William I. Clifford and Marjorie L. Morrow Clifford.

His family moved to Wichita Kansas in 1942, where he grew up and attended school. In 1955 he met his future wife Brenda Catherine Nichols, and they married on July 19, 1959.

In high school Bill participated in several different sports. Following high school, he coached little league baseball and then got involved in playing fast pitch softball where he held the high batting average of the Wichita Industrial Softball league.

After high school Bill worked with his father at the Garvey Grain Million-Bushel Grain Storage Elevator until 1965 when he and his wife Brenda and their 3 young children moved to Moline Illinois. There he worked a brief time for John Deere Plow Works before being transferred to the John Deere Industrial Factory in Dubuque, Iowa. He worked for John Deere for 27 years, and during that time he drove experimental tractors and equipment and held several positions, including Supervision of Factory Inspectors for 17 years and then as Senior Field Service Representative until his retirement in 1992.

In the late 1960’s in Dubuque, Bill joined the church bowling league and became an avid and accomplished bowler. In the 70’s and 80’s he achieved high honors with sanctioned 300 games and many sanctioned 700 series. He also served as the Dubuque Bowling Association’s Director and President.

After retirement in 1992, Bill and Brenda moved to Arkansas where they built a home on Beaver Lake and enjoyed their retirement there until they began full time motor home life. They were able to travel all over the United States, including Alaska. They also traveled to Hawaii and many places in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Bill was an accomplished self-taught Banjo player and enjoyed jamming with local bluegrass groups wherever they traveled. Bill and Brenda cherished the friendships created as they made “Snowbird Travel” a part of their retirement life. Bill would also share his talent for playing and singing at local Nursing homes and Senior events on their Snowbird Route.

In 2012 they retired from their life of full-time traveling to a small town in Iowa and then in 2018 they purchased a small paradise in the woods of Missouri near Mark Twain Lake and their oldest daughter, Cathy, and her family. They loved the quiet rural life watching the deer, turkey, fox, and squirrels outside of their living room window, and every Sunday everyone knew that Bill and Brenda would both be cheering on their beloved Kansas City Chiefs. Dad often boasted about being the greatest Chiefs fan there ever was, and through their bad seasons and into their good seasons, he never wavered from his love of the Chiefs.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife Brenda Catherine Clifford on January 22, 2026.

Bill is survived by his daughter, Cathy Clifford Kleinsorge (Robert) of Stoutsville Missouri, William Clifford (Carol) of Arvada Colorado and Christy Clifford Bills of Waukee Iowa. Seven grandchildren, Justin Clifford, Bobby (Kamber) Kleinsorge, Tori Kleinsorge Feger (Travis), Amanda Bills Foltz (Jesse), Alex (Sadie) Clifford, Jeni Clifford (RJ), Sam Clifford (Rhys) and 10 great-grandchildren, Shadyn (Tiffany) Kleinsorge, Landyn Kleinsorge, Gabriel (Zoe) Kleinsorge, Clayton Clifford, Pearson Kleinsorge, Lillian Blackburn, Brysen Feger, Brantly Foltz, Noah Blackburn, and Eason Foltz; two great-great-granddaughters, Huntleigh Grace Kleinsorge and Aspyn Raye Kleinsorge. Brothers Don Clifford of St. Louis, Glenn Clifford of Arkansas, and Roger Clifford (Katherine) of Texas.

Bill was also preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Marjorie Clifford; two brothers, Lester Clifford and Jim Clifford; and three sisters-in-law, Vivian Clifford, Karen Clifford, and Sherry Clifford.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date.