header 1
header 2
header 3

In Memoriam

Clifford C. Claycomb (1952 Band)

Clifford C. "Cliff" Claycomb, son of Clifford S. (1902-1989) and Rose L. (Mongel) (1901-1984) Claycomb, was born 1 February 1922, Bedford County, Pennsylvania.  Both Clifford S. and Rose were talented musicians.  Their son too played several musical instruments and was exceptionally talented.  Cliff obtained a Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in music from Michigan State College.

Cliff in his youth also had a high interest in weight lifting.

Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Sunday 19 May 1932

WEIGHT LIFTERS IN OLYMPIC TRIAL

SIX WILL REPRESENT DETROIT IN YORK, PA., TESTS

Six of the best weight lifters ever developed in the Middle West are expected to represent Detroit in the National A. A. U. championships and final Olympic tryouts at York, Pa., next Saturday.

The entry of Clark Haskins, Detroit Police heavyweight, was announced several days ago by his department.  The others are Henry Duey, light-heavyweight; Stan Kratkowski and Clifford Claycomb, middleweights; Emil Mozer, featherweight, and Clarence Williams lightweight.  All except Mozer are conceded good chances to qualify for the United States team.  There is no Olympic competition in Mozer's division.

Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Saturday 29 April 1933

New champions to come up were Sam Poliuto in the bantam weight class and Cliff Claycomb in the light-heavy.

Claycomb, a former middleweight champion, defeated two rivals with a score of 627 1/2 pounds.  Poliuto took the bantam title without competition, lifting 456 1/2.

By the 1947-1948 school year Cliff was employed teaching music at Everett High School, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan.  He was employed for the 1951-1952 school year to teach "instrumental music" at Okemos High School.  In 1951 Cliff while teaching was also employed by The Kline School of Music in Lansing.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Sunday 7 January 1951

The Kline School of Music, 129 E. Michigan Ave., is happy to announce that the school is supervised by Mr. Clifferd (misspelled) Claycomb who has an enviable reputation as a teach and band director. Mr. Claycomb, "Cliff" to his many friends, received his Masters degree in Music from Michigan state college after 5 years teaching experience.  He has played violin in the Lansing symphony for the past nine years, has been associated with the Lake Odessa, Bath, E. Lansing and Lansing Everett public schools as band director.  He has been given a free hand in selecting competent and experienced teachers to teach all band and orchestra instruments, piano , accordion, Hawaiian and Spanish guitar.  Teachers report personally to Mr. Claycomb on the progress of each student.  Parents are invited to sit in on the first lesson and at least once a month thereafter.

Clifford left Michigan in the fall of 1953 after closing out his school year at Okemos.  He married the very beautiful Willimina Pauline "Wilma" Merrill in the early 1950's and together they moved to California to start a family and for Cliff to continue teaching.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 12 August 1953

INSTRUCTOR FETED AT FAREWELL PARTY

Clifford C. Claycomb, former band leader at the Okemos consolidated school, was given a surprise farewell party Tuesday evening at the farm home of Ellarene Copp.

Mr. Claycomb has been the band leader at the school for the last two years.  More than 45 members of the band attended.  He was presented with a suitcase.

He will teach music in a school near Hollywood, Cal.

Cliff, Wilma and their eventual 7 children would visit Michigan numerous times over the years. Cliff's parents were originally from Pennsylvania.  The elder Claycombs' moved back to Pennsylvania and both were interred in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Sunday 25 August 1963

VISITORS DEPART

Mr. and Mrs. Clifford C. Claycomb and children returned home to Glendale, Calif., after a two-month visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford S. Claycomb of 120 Cowley Ave., East Lansing.  they also spent two weeks in Windber, Pa., with his grandfather, Morey Claycomb.

Wilma, born 13 August 1933, Oceana County, Michigan, died 3 March 2010, California.  Clifford died, age 91, 22 March 2013, Los Angeles County, California, place of inurnment unknown.