Clifford Lee Macaulay

Long-time Santa Barbara resident Clifford Lee Macaulay, 78, died of natural causes on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The son of U.S. Navy Commander (Ret.) Alvan Macaulay and Doris Macaulay, also of Santa Barbara, Clifford was born on September 22, 1946, at Pensacola, Florida, where the elder Macaulay was a Navy flight instructor. Typical of military families, Clifford moved often. In his youth Clifford was a proficient baseball player, earning letters in baseball at Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and at Colorado State College in Greeley, Colorado. Colorado State College later became the University of Northern Colorado.
Clifford moved to Santa Barbara in 1974. Clifford was seriously interested in acting, had studied under Jeff Corey, Angela Clarke, and Lee Strasberg, and was active in community theater in the Santa Barbara area. Theater-goers may remember his portrayal of Frankie Bellamy in the play "Suitehearts" performed at the Circle Bar B Dinner Theater in 1985. Clifford acted in fourteen plays in the Santa Barbara area in the 1970's and 1980's. He performed in "Cabaret" and "Punch and Judy" at the Santa Barbara Playhouse in 1974; "The Glass Menagerie" at Alhecama Theatre in 1975; "Exit the Body", "Sly Fox", and "The Odd Couple" in 1982 at the Timbers Dinner Theater; "Sugar", "A Bedful of Foreigners", "Somethings Afoot", and "Don't Drink the Water" in 1983 at Le P'Tit Cabaret; and "Three Penny Opera" (1983) and "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1985) at Garvin Studio Theater.
Clifford's last employment was at the University of California Santa Barbara, Parking Services.
Clifford was preceded in death by his parents, Alvan and Doris Macaulay of Santa Barbara, and one brother, Kenneth Macaulay, also of Santa Barbara. He is survived by his sister, Kathleen Macaulay formerly of Santa Barbara and currently residing in St. George, Utah, his brother Thomas Macaulay of Fairmont, West Virginia, three nephews (Sean Macaulay and Kevin Macaulay of Goleta, California, and David Macaulay of Morgantown, West Virginia); one niece (Karen Mersinger of Fairmont, West Virginia) and by two sisters-in-law (Catherine Hagen Macaulay of Goleta and Joy Lightcap Macaulay of Fairmont, West Virginia). Clifford was never married and had no children.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Welch-Ryce-Haider. Donations may be made to Buena Vista Care Center and VNA Health in Santa Barbara.