Thomas Roland Clifton

Thomas R. Clifton, Pearl Harbor Survivor Niles- Thomas R. (Roland) Clifton, 85, of Niles, died at home at 4:50 p.m. Sunday, October 22, 2006, following a brief illness. He was born November 5, 1920, in Cameron, W.Va., the son of Theodore and Mary Clifton, He graduated from Cameron High School where he played football and had been a resident of the Warren-Niles area since 1947. He was formerly employed as a tool and die man by Amweld Door Company, Niles, Ohio, retiring in 1982. Prior to Amweld he was also employed by Aetna Standard and Mullins Manufacturing, Warren, Ohio. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church of Warren, where he had served as President of the Holy Name Society. He had also been a member of the Knights of Columbus, council 620, Warren. He had been an avid golfer playing in various leagues at Avalon, Candywood, Riverview and other area golf courses, scoring a hole-in-one at Avalon in 1989. During his younger years he had also enjoyed playing softball and had bee the euchre champion of Warren in the early sixties. A survivor of Pearl Harbor, where he served on the USS Whitney, AD-4, Mr. Clifton served with distinction throughout WWII in the Pacific, including the battles of Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. As the one of the senior enlisted man on board the USS Vammen, he accepted the surrender of several Japanese soldiers on Pagan Island in the Marianas. He loved sports and his Cleveland teams in particular, and spent many enjoyable hours being a “couch coach”. He liked to do his crossword puzzles in ink and took special joy in doing the Sunday New York Times puzzle in record time. He is survived by his four sons, Kevin and his wife Irene of Ambridge, Pa., Thomas J. and his wife Jean of Naperville, Ill, Theodore and his wife Diane of Fort Myers, Fl., and Daniel and his wife Ruby VanDyke of Seattle, Wa; a brother Leo T. of Springtown, Pa.; grandchildren – Paul, Mary, Maggie, Colin, Lilly and Leo; and two beloved great grandchildren, Riley and Ian. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 54 years, Wanda (Stern) Clifton and four brothers and sisters, Francis, Hugh, Mary Catherine and Rose. Friends may call at the Roberts-Clark Funeral Chapel on Tuesday, October 24, 2006, from 7-9 p.m. Burial will be held at the Niles City Cemetery Chapel on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Material contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, c/o Team Shamrock, 2161 Arms Ave., Girard, Ohio 44420.