Clifford Leroy Skiff
Obituaries
Post Independent / Telegram - February 15, 2012
Cliff, 85, of Basalt, passed away at the Colorado State Veteran’s Nursing Home Feb. 9, 2012.
Cliff was born Nov. 18, 1926 in Silt to Ward and Mary (Stout) Skiff. He was raised on Sweetwater with his siblings Duane, Vonna, Jimmy and Marie.
Cliff enlisted in the Army Nov. 29, 1945 as a rifleman. He was stationed in Alaska and was honorably discharged Feb. 4, 1947.
He married Delma in 1953 in Glenwood Springs and raised two daughters: Karen Randall (Cleve) of Rifle, and Linda DeLost (Michael) of Carbondale. He also raised his two stepsons, Steve Damm (Dana) of Glenwood Springs, and Gary Damm. He is preceded in death by his wife Delma and stepson Gary Damm. He loved his six grandchildren: Alan Randall, Tisha Neuman, Tracy Randall, Nicole Randall, Janae (DeLost) Jochum and Lacey Jo DeLost. They will remember the camping and fishing trips spent with him. He also had four great-grandchildren: Ian and Talon Randall, Regan Randall and Clutch Jochum.
Cliff was a cowboy at heart working at several ranches from De Beque, Colbran, Dotsero, and finally settling in Basalt in 1963. He was a trapper in his early years and worked alongside his good friend Bob Terrell, who was a game warden for many years in the Basalt area.
His working years were spent clearing roads for the diversion tunnels for Ruedi Dam, working as a snowcat operator at Snowmass, and a carpenter on several bridges in the area, as well as in Wyoming. Prior to retiring, he moved to Price, Utah and spent a couple of years working again running sheep for Johnny Hanna.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Rifle at 851 E. 5th Street, Rifle, Colo. 81650 or any American Legion organization of your choice.
Cremation has taken place and no services will take place at this time.
