Clifton "Clif" J. Cotter

M. J. Daly and Sons Executive 

WATERBURY – It is with sadness that we announce that our father, Clifton Joseph Cotter, age 97, passed into eternal life on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2024 after a short period in St. Mary’s Hospital. He was married for 55 years to the late Mary (Bolan) Cotter.   

Clif was born at home in Waterbury on June 27, 1926, a son of the late Clifton Joseph Cotter and Helen (Sheehan) Cotter. He was a lifelong resident of Waterbury, a long-time parishioner of St. Margaret Church, and a current parishioner of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. He served as an Usher at both St. Margaret Church and the Basilica for many years. Clif graduated from the former St. Margaret Grammar School and Crosby High, Class of 1944. He served as Chairman of the Reunions for the Class of ’44, which were held every five years. In 1953, he received an Associate Degree in Engineering from New Haven College, now the University of New Haven, after attending night classes and working full time. In 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Haven. Clif served in the “Armed Guard” Division of the U.S. Navy aboard Merchant Marine ships and the S.S. Claus Spreckles in the South Pacific Theater from 1944-1946. On his return to the states, after the war, he was assigned to the Admiral’s Staff aboard the USS Wisconsin until his honorable discharge in July 1946. After his discharge he joined his father at M. J. Daly & Sons, where he worked for 55 years, retiring as Senior Vice President, Assistant Secretary, Director and Consultant.   

Over the years, he was active in the construction industry, serving as the President of the Connecticut Building Congress; Co-Founder, Chairman and, from 1991 to 2012 served as President of the Connecticut Building Congress Scholarship Fund where an annual scholarship is awarded in his name; President of the Housatonic Chapter of Construction Specification Institute; Director, Secretary/Treasurer of the Connecticut Chapter of Associated General Contractors; National Associate Director of the General Contractors of America; Director of the Connecticut Construction Labor Management Council and a lifetime member of the Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Engineers Society. Clif was also very active in the City of Waterbury and served as a member of the Retirement Board; Chairman of the Code Appeals Board; Member of the Waterbury Regional Resource Recovery Authority; Director of the Naugatuck Valley Development Corporation; a Member of the Waterbury Housing Authority and Chairman of Brass Center Limited, a position which he held for over 25 years until his death. Clif was not one to turn down a request to help or serve. As a result, he was a member of the Advisory Board of the former Center Bank; Director of the American Red Cross; Director of the Waterbury Area Chamber of Congress; former Member of St. Margaret Church Parish Council; and former Member of St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation and past President and past Secretary of the Waterbury Rotary Club. He is a Paul Harris Fellow, recipient of the highest award given by Rotary International, and was a Lifetime Member and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Waterbury Lodge of Elks. 

He was a member of the Highfield Club and a member and former Director of the Country Club of Waterbury. He was a member and served as the Past President of the former Waterbury Club and was a member and served as Secretary of the former Prospect Country Club. He was a member of the Skytop Club and had fond memories of the times he and his family spent at Skytop Lodge in Skytop, PA. Finally, he was a winter resident at the Plantation Golf and Country Club of Venice FL for many years.
 

Clif leaves a son, Clifton J. Cotter Jr. (Michele) of Westerly, RI, and three daughters, Mary Patricia “Patty” Allshouse (David) of Parkton, MD, Helen Therese “Terry” Fitzpatrick (James) of Waterbury, and Ann Elizabeth Ballard of New Haven. He was a most proud Grampa to fourteen grandchildren – Mary Kate Federico (FJ), Eileen O’Brien (TJ), Christopher Fitzpatrick (Heidi), David Allshouse (Rachel), Robert Fitzpatrick (Karlyn), Emily Garcia (Fredy), Clifton Joseph “CJ” Cotter III and his fiancé Nikki, Kristy Goggins, Margaret Mayberry (Nate), Caitlin Fitzpatrick (Marshall), Megan Goggins (Matt), Paul Cotter, Jennifer Ballard and Caroline Cotter, and a Great-Grampa to 15 great-grandchildren – Briella Painter; Abigail, Claire and Liam O’Brien; Elizabeth and Benjamin Federico; Austin, Siena and Jemma Fitzpatrick; David and Evan Allshouse; RJ and Jack Fitzpatrick; and Macy and Milo Mayberry. In addition, Mr. Cotter leaves a cousin, Jamie Cummings (Amy) of Enfield, CT. 

The family would like to thank Mike Nyame for his dedication and care for Clif in his home. To honor Clif’s memory and in lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the Connecticut Building Congress Scholarship Fund in his name to: Connecticut Building Congress, P O Box 107, Rocky Hill, CT 06067-0107, or to the Waterbury Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, P O Box 9081, Waterbury, CT 06724. Clif was passionate about supporting young people and served on the scholarship committees for both of these organizations for many years.  

Visitation for Mr. Cotter will take place on Friday, June 21, from 4pm to 7pm at the Casey’s Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1987 East Main St., Waterbury, CT. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 1:30pm on Saturday, June 22 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 74 West Main St., Waterbury, CT. Burial with Military Honors at Calvary Cemetery will follow. Loving kindness is always welcome, and it only takes a moment to offer a message of condolence or words of comfort or share a memory of someone important to you with your family and friends. Please visit the funeral home’s tribute page at www.caseyfunerals.com to do so. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the Cotter family, please visit our Sympathy Store.