Clifford Prentice

Clifford F. Prentice, 91

SHREWSBURY - Commander Clifford F. Prentice of Shrewsbury, passed away on August 6, 2017. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Eleanor Mae (Orton) Prentice and three children: David A. Prentice of Hamilton, NJ; Gary R. Prentice and his wife Lynn of Ballston Lake, NY; and Susan Ann Bryer and her husband Mark of Livingston, TX. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Joshua D. Prentice of Lonetree, CO; Julie M. Bryer of Raleigh, NC and Amy L. Bryer of Raleigh, NC. A brother Nelson A. Prentice and his wife Ginger of Ocala, FL also survives. Two sisters, Dorothy Beauchemin and Ruth Dunn, predeceased him.

He was born in New Haven, CT, the son of Clifford Dennis Prentice and May Elizabeth (Mead) Prentice and grew up on a dairy farm in North Haven, CT.

Commander Prentice was a career Naval Reserve Officer with 27 years of service, 22 of those years on active duty. He was a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. During the Vietnam conflict he served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications for Commander Amphibious Force, U.S. Seventh Fleet. For this tour of duty Commander Prentice was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with 3 Campaign Stars and the Navy Commendation with Combat V.

Commander Prentice served as Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Training Center in Worcester during the period 1960-1963. Three reserve units from his training center placed first among 21 cities in New England and he commanded the only training center in the nation with three first place units.

Following retirement from the Navy in 1970, he joined Guaranty Bank and Trust Company as a Trust Officer. In 1975 he joined Bank of Boston and opened a Worcester Trust Office for Old Colony Trust. He retired from Bank of Boston (now Bank of America) as a Vice President in 1986.

Commander Prentice was a graduate of Yale University, class of 1948, and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.

He was a Charter Member of the Worcester County chapter, the Retired Officers Association; a past president, Estate and Business Planning Council of Worcester County; past President, Civitan Club of Worcester; past Director of the Shrewsbury Rotary Club. Commander Prentice was a former member of the Worcester Country Club and the Worcester Club.

Relative and friends are invited to visit with Commander Prentice's family on Friday, August 18, 2017 from 11:00-12:30 PM in the BRITTON-SHREWSBURY FUNERAL HOME, 648 Main Street, Shrewsbury. A graveside service honoring his life with military honors will begin at 1:00 pm at his burial site in Mountain View Cemetery (Section QQ).Memorial contribution may be made to the First Congregational Church, 19 Church Road, Shrewsbury, MA 01545. To leave a note of condolence for the Commander's family of to view his Book of Memories, please visit, www.brittonfuneralhomes.com