Clifford F. McKendree Jr.

Clifford Foster McKendree, Jr., age 95, passed away peacefully in his home in Keystone Heights, Florida on Monday, July 18, 2022. He was born on March 20, 1927 in Jacksonville, Florida to Lillian and Clifford F. McKendree, Sr. He was a 1945 graduate of Robert Lee High School, excelling in football, baseball, and track & field. Cliff was drafted into the Navy and spent time at Navy Pier, Chicago until WWII ended. He then continued his love of baseball by pitching in the semi-pro baseball league. He went on to begin his lifetime career as a master plumber /contractor and founded McKendree's Plumbing & Heating in 1961. Together with his wife Gladys, he built a very successful business based on honesty, integrity, and hard work - a business that his sons have continued to this day.
He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and lover of the outdoors! Some of his favorite memories included special friendships he built while hunting at Road's End Hunt Camp (GA) and Lawtonwood Camp (SC), along with annual trips to Alabama and Texas. Fishing was another favorite pastime which took him from the St. John's River all the way to the Florida Keys. If you spent any amount of time with Cliff, you would learn all you would want to know about nature and its bounty from birdwatching, grapefruit harvesting, caring for grapevines, picking berries of every kind. In his later years, he loved sharing stories of the "greatest generation" – especially of the history of Jacksonville and the surrounding area.
He is preceded in death by his first wife of 41 years, Gladys F. McKendree and son-in-law, Mike Rollins.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley D. McKendree; two sons, Cliff McKendree III (Lisa) and Clayton McKendree (Stacey) all of Jacksonville; a daughter, Cathy McKendree Rollins of Statesboro, GA; stepson, Michael Horne (Lourdes) of Coral Gables, FL; and stepdaughter, Michelle Wise (Tom) of Jacksonville.
He is also survived by his grandchildren who lovingly know him as "G-Daddy," Tyler McKendree (Aubry), CF McKendree (Zoe), Addison Rosborough (Logan), Gillian McKendree (fiancé, Matthew Torak) all of Jacksonville; Michael Rollins (Erin) of Bluffton, SC; Colton Rollins; Haydon Rollins (Kaylie) both of Statesboro, GA; Vincent Horne, Xavier Horne, Dallas Horne, Natalie Horne all of Coral Gables; Foster Wise (Angii), and Harrison Wise, both of Jacksonville. Additionally, he is survived by 7 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 22 at 2:00 pm at the Ortega Methodist Church, 4807 Roosevelt Blvd., Jacksonville. A visitation will be held at 1:00 pm prior to the service in the Church Fellowship Hall. Interment will be at Riverside Memorial Park through Hardage-Giddens Riverside Memorial Park & Funeral Home, 7242 Normandy Blvd. Jacksonville FL.
Active pallbearers will be Scott Milligan, Bruce Couey, Mitchell Rhodes, Malcom Johnson, and his grandsons.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgriversidefuneralhome.com for the McKendree family.