Obituary of Willam Robert Cluff

William Robert Cluff, 93 died at home, surrounded by his loving family, on February 24, 2018 after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. 

He was born March 22, 1924 in Johnson City, New York to the late Robert William Cluff and Ola May Laman Cluff. 

His ancestors include early settlers of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Delaware County, New York, as well as of Boston and Salem, Massachusetts.  He was a graduate of Binghamton North High School, class of 1942.  On the day of his graduation, he was inducted into the U.S. Navy and served through the end of World War II as a sonar operator in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters aboard the destroyer escort USS Farquhar.  At the close of the war, he returned to the Binghamton area, where he met Elizabeth Louise Paradis, to whom he was married July 4, 1947; they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 4, 1970.  He was employed as a field engineer in New York’s Southern Tier by the NCR Corporation for 40 years until his retirement in 1987.

Bill was an active member of the community and church, first in Port Dickinson, New York where he resided for more than 30 years and then in Schuylerville, New York to which he and Betty retired to be near family.  He was a boy scout leader for many years.  He enjoyed bowling, golf, gardening, and especially camping on the St. Lawrence River with his family and friends.  In retirement he devoted hours upon hours to helping family with their home renovation projects.  He also took up woodworking and made many gifts for children and grandchildren.  He and Betty made numerous trips to all parts of the United States, sometimes alone but often accompanied by one or more of their grandchildren. 

Bill was a remarkable storyteller.  From his childhood, family, naval experiences, job, marriage, hobbies and activities, he had an inexhaustible trove of recollections that he was only too happy to share on any occasion.  He also became an indefatigable family history researcher, traveling to sites in Maryland, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York to ferret out branches of his and Betty’s family trees.   In his later years he encouraged and helped his daughter to dig deep into online archives.

Betty predeceased Bill on July 3, 2010.  He is survived by a son Robert W. (Kathy) Cluff of Myrtle Beach, SC; and a daughter and son-in-law Jacqueline M. and William J. Standish of Schuylerville; 9 grandchildren Matthew Cluff, Jonathan (Melanie) Cluff, Julie (Tory) Myler, Jennie (William) Gale, Margie Shaw, Marie (Stephen) Roberts, Laura (Jay) Phillips, William (Jaimie) Standish and Timothy Standish.  He is also survived by 20 great-grandchildren; sister Lois Nolan of Haddenfield, NJ, two nieces, Laurie Wolfson of Haddenfield and Linda Clink of San Jose, CA.

A funeral service will be held at 10 am Thursday, March 1, 2018 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 111 Academy St, Greenwich, NY, 12834 with Brother Chad R. Fichtner officiating.

Family and friends may call on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 from 4-7pm at the Flynn Bros. Inc. Funeral Home 13 Gates Ave, Schuylerville, NY, 12871.

Burial in the Chenango Valley Cemetery will take place at 3:30pm on Thursday, March 1, 2018.

In lieu of flowers donations in William’s name may be made to the Greenwich Branch Missionary Fund for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Online condolences and messages to the family may be made at www.flynnbrosinc.com