Daniel P. Clifford of Dedham and Braintree, Massachusetts passed away peacefully on Veterans Day, November 11, 2022 at the age of 88. Born on April 23, 1934 in Mission Hill and raised in Jamaica Plain, Boston, he was the son of the late Patrick and Mary Clifford; and the brother of Noreen Bruce, and the late Theresa Olsen, Patricia Lorento, Joan Duffy, and Mary Haley.
He was the beloved husband of Cynthia Clifford, and devoted father to Dan Clifford and his wife Linda Shih of Oakland, California and Deborah Clifford of Brooklyn, New York; and an adoring (and adored) grandfather, affectionately known as “DadDad,” to Zack and Tayla Clifford.
He was known for his gregarious nature and made friends easily. Some said (exaggerating maybe a little) that he “knew half the people in Boston.” While making new friends he also maintained his many close relationships — one of his favorite activities was meeting friends for lunch. He could sniff out the closest diner from a mile away.
Dan began his adult life by signing up to serve in the Korean War at age 19. From 1953 through 1955 he proudly served in the Signal Corps of the Army, helping to manage the communication systems for the command and control of the combined armed forces.
Making use of his Signal Corps training, after discharge he returned to Boston and became a licensed electrician, working at Raytheon Manufacturing Company for ten years. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him to start his own business, Clifford’s Electrical Service, where he designed and laid out electrical work for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings throughout Boston.
In 1966, he was tapped by the Municipal Building Department of the City of Boston to join the Electrical Inspections Department where he worked his way up the ranks, eventually becoming the Supervisor. He had a rare combination of skills — he was both patient in working with people and inpatient to get things done. He cut through red tape when needed and developed a reputation as someone who was helpful and fair.
He capped his 35 years serving the City of Boston with a packed retirement party in 2001 where Mayor Thomas Menino sent a proclamation officially naming Friday, June 1st, 2001 as “Dan P. (for Perfect and Prince) Clifford Day.”
Retirement didn’t slow him down. He continued to do countless favors for friends and family — if he heard that a friend had a broken appliance, a broken light fixture, or a broken anything he would fix it. He was always willing to install a dimmer switch in anyone’s home if they asked for it (and sometimes when they didn’t).
Far beyond his love of fixing things or even his love of diners was his love of his wife of 53 years.
He met Cynthia Castaldo from New Bedford in 1968. After just a few dates he knew he wanted to propose to her. However to make sure he didn’t make a rash decision he chose to get to know her, in his words, “through all four seasons of the year.” After that one year he proposed and they married on May 4, 1969. They spent 53 wonderful years completely devoted to each other, raising their children, and then enjoying their grandchildren.
He will be sorely missed.
Visiting hours for Dan will be held on Friday, November 18 from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the P.E. Murray - F.J. Higgins George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 2000 Centre St., West Roxbury. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 19 at 10:30am in Saint Theresa of Avila Parish, 2078 Centre St., West Roxbury. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury. Reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a cause that Dan Clifford long supported, the Wounded Warrior Project, https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/