A natural born salesman, Clifford Clark Smoot lived his life with grace, wit and charm before succumbing to natural causes recently. He was 89 years young.
“Little Cliffy”, as he was called by his family, was born April 27, 1927 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Beechwood. He spent a happy youth sledding the hills of his neighborhood with chums and his little sister Suzanne.
Eventually World War II called and Cliff enlisted in the Navy. The war ended while he was on a troop train headed for the Pacific. He finished out his tour on a Navy oiler before returning home and enrolling in Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. He was a Phi Gama Delta and spent many an evening serenading co-eds outside the women’s dorm.
After graduation in 1948 he settled into an advertising job and quickly fell for Constance Brooks, a stunning raven haired secretary he called the most beautiful girl in the office. Connie would agree to marriage if Cliff would take her away from the frigid Pittsburgh winters.
They were wed in 1951 and flew west to Portland where Cliff landed a job as a lumber salesman. Babies Ron, Wendy and Todd quickly followed. Cliff moved the family to a better opportunity in California, in the small town of Cloverdale working for Molalla Forest Products. There Robin was born completing the family of six.
Cliff was the sole bread winner and made sure that all his children had college educations. Once they flew the nest, Cliff and Connie moved to Ukiah where Cliff finished his career as the Vice President and General Manager of Masonite’s Western Lumber Division and retired.
Cliff was a life-long lover of people and good times. He took great interest in the lives of his children and their families. He remained very active in the Rotary Club, the Hoo-Hoo Club and other community organizations.
Connie was no big fan of flying but she and Cliff traveled the Western USA and made a pilgrimage to her ancestral home in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Shortly after Connie passed, Cliff moved to Sonoma to be closer to family. It was there he lived his final days enjoying regular outings for oysters and martinis.
Cliff was preceded in death in 2009 by his wife of 58 years, Connie Smoot. He is survived by his children Ron Smoot, Wendy Harnett (Chris), Todd Smoot (Betty) and Robin Wilkerson and by his grandchildren Marla and Max Smoot and Andy, Hillary and Mia Harnett. We miss you Pop.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Sonoma County Hospice by the Bay would be appreciated.
