Daniel Francis Clifford, 74, a longtime Newton resident and commercial real estate consultant, appraiser (MAI) and reviewer, died at home from Melanoma on Sunday, June 25. He leaves his wife Margi Butler; daughter, Irene; son, Jay and his wife Denisse; stepson David Winbourne and his wife Justine, his brothers Doug and Robert, sisters-in-law Sandra and Pat, many cousins, nieces, nephews, and a wide circle of friends. He is predeceased by his brothers John and Roger.
Dan operated his own commercial real estate consulting firm in Newton for over twenty-five years after working for a number of local firms, and he was a political activist. He served as ward chairperson in the local Democratic Party until recently. He came from a humble background, the middle child in a family of five boys, raised by a single mother in Hudson, MA. Dan started working at the age of ten with a paper route and worked until he was unable to continue. Dan became active in politics at a young age. In high school, he was president of his class for three years and head of the student council as a senior, a role he repeated in college. He was the first in his family to attend college, at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. His two older brothers, who came back from Vietnam and joined the anti-war movement, influenced Dan to oppose the Vietnam War.
In 1981, after working his way up in the union as a bartender at the Copley Plaza Hotel, Dan was elected Secretary Treasurer of Local 26 of the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Workers Union in Boston, a local of over 5000 members, representing the employees of major hotels and food service workers in the Boston area. In 1984, he was on the campaign staff for John Kerry’s first senatorial victory. And from then until this year, he and his family have campaigned for Democratic candidates and progressive issues and have marched in innumerable protests.
Dan was an avid Boston sports fan, an avid reader, and an avid traveler. He and his family explored National Parks and monuments all over the country from the Dry Tortugas off the Florida Keys to Denali National Park in Alaska. Wherever Dan went, he came back with stories. Dan was a great story teller with an infectious laugh that often took over the story before it ended. His favorite role was that of husband and father. He was a friend to many people. He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, friendship, loyalty, his wonderful stories, and his knowledge of politics and real estate.
Burial services will be private. A Memorial and Celebration of Dan’s Life is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, July 9 at the Allen Center, 35 Webster Street, West Newton from 2:00PM – 4:00PM. Shiva will be held from 6:30PM – 8:30PM on July 9 at the family home. Donations may be directed to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute through Dan’s friend Stephen Najarian, who is running in the Falmouth Road Race in Dan’s honor at http://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/stephen_najarian.
Obituary published at the request of Brezniak Funeral Directors and Daniel Clifford’s family.