Clifford W. Davis

Clifford W, Davis, 81, of Springvale died at home Saturday, December 17th following complications from Parkinson's Disease.He was born in Waterville, Maine on July 4, 1924, the only child of Chester and Nina Davis. In 1934, his family moved to South Portland where he graduated from South Portland High School in 1941. He attended the University of Maine in Orono where he studied engineering. Two years into the program, he reported to the Navy Training Unit at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, where he completed his electrical engineering degree. Following college, he served as a Navy officer in San Francisco and Guam. He met his wife of 57 years, Marjorie McDougal, a Navy officer from Sanford, Maine, while chaperoning a Navy dance in San Francisco, California. Following World War II and the Navy, Clifford worked as an electrical engineer for a number of companies, including Western Electric, General Motors and Champion Lampworks. In 1951, he joined his brother-in-law in managing McDougal Orchards for three years. He went to work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1954, where he worked on submarine missile fire control systems. In 1964, he started Davis Real Estate & Insurance Company in Sanford and was affiliated with the Farm Family Insurance Company. He and his wife operated the business until 1987; he then sold the business to his sons and retired.Clifford was an active member of the North Parish Congregational Church in Sanford, where he taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, served as a deacon and trustee and was co-chair of the Education Building Committee.He was a farmer at heart, raising sheep and beef animals. A good day was spent on his john Deere tractor cutting and baling hay or plowing the garden. He loved to travel and valued education (he began the study of Spanish in his 60's). Clifford enjoyed working with his hands including building his own home, a sailboat, and renovation of a number of old homes and had a fascination with all things mechanical. He also had a passion for the ocean spending time fishing, sailing or walking on the beach.Large family gatherings were of particular pleasure to him, especially his birthday celebration on the 4th of July with 40 to 50 family members attending each year.Clifford is survived by his wife Marjorie, sons Neal and significant other Jean Strazdes of Kennebunk, Wayne and his wife Ann of Boston, Carl and his wife Ellen of Acton, Keith and his wife Cameron of Acton, Paul and his wife Sarah of Falmouth; daughters Anne Lovell of salt Lake City, Gail Witherill and husband David of Cumberland, and Sue Mary Wright of Springvale, and twenty-seven grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his son John in 1949.A celebration of his life will be held Tuesday, December 20, 11:00 AM at the North Parish Congregational Church in Sanford, ME. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given in his name to the North Parish Congregational Church Abiding Memorial Fund, in care of the North parish Congregational Church, 893 Main Street, Sanford, Maine 04073.