Clifford Jean Sheehan III

MISSOULA, MT- Clifford Jean Sheehan III, 48, passed away on Wednesday, July 27, at his home. Cliff was born May 3, 1963 in Orange, New Jersey. He was raised in Westfield, New Jersey where he attended Westfield High School. His senior year, he was undefeated in cross country (a record which still stands), set the state cross country course record, and won the Kinney Northeastern Championship in VanCortland Park in New York City. That spring, he went onto win the 1500 meters in the New Jersey High School State Championship and finished fifth in the Golden West Championship. He attended Harvard University, graduating in Biology in 1986. While there he ran a 3:59.2 mile. He finished fifth in the 3000 meters at the Indoor NCAA Championship his junior year. His senior year, he finished second in the mile at the Outdoor NCAA Championship. He then attended medical school at Southwestern Universiy (University of Texas) in Dallas. There he completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Cardiology, specializing in Electrophysiology. Cliff moved to Missoula in 1999 where he practiced Cardiology and was a poineer in the development of electrophysiology at the International Heart Institute of Montana at Saint Patrick's Health and Sciences Center. Cliff married Eileen Kao on September 22, 2001. He was a doting husband and a loving father to Claire, Ryan, and Christine. Cliff loved his family more than anything in the world. Cliff was an avid bicyclist. In classic Cliff style, he continued to race and win. In the winter, Cliff was known to be found on the ski slopes. You just knew that if you skied with Cliff that was no time for lunch. You were expected to find the deepest powder and steepest runs. And forget it, you were not going to keep up with him. Other interests included woodworking, target shooting, hiking, reading, family time and so much more. Cliff is proceeded in death by his infant daughter, Jeanette, paternal grandparents "Mimi" and "Fosh" and his maternal grandparents "Grandmommy" and "Granddaddy". Cliff is survived by his wife Eileen, three children Claire(5), Ryan (3), and Christine (2); parents Clifford and Felicia Sheehan of Whitefield, NH and Hamilton, MT; sister Felicia (Lalee) Andrews, her husband David, and three children Christian, Nicholas, and Alexander of Little Silver, NJ; and brother Kevin, his wife Kim, and two children Kevin and Lauren of Missoula, MT. A viewing will be held at Garden City Funeral Home on August 1 between 5-7 pm. Services will be held at Saint Francis Xavier Church on August 2 at 10:30am with burial to follow. The family requests that memorials be made in his name to the International Heart Institute of Montana at Saint Patrick's Health and Sciences Center, 500 West Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------