Clifton J. "Clif" Scripture

Clifton J. Scripture, born in Rochester, New York in 1940, moved to Michigan in 1943. He was adored by his mother, Marjorie Horner, and he never got over losing her when he was five years old. He and his little sister Pauline (Blanka) moved in with his Grammy, Bertha Scripture, on West Philadelphia in Detroit. Grammy became his "rock" pushing away his fear and loneliness with generous amounts of hugs, reassurances, and popsicles.
As it does, life moved on. His father, Donald Scripture, did what widowers with young children often did back then -- he disappeared for six months and returned with a new wife, Mary Bartlett. The family moved to Highland Park and added a new baby, Douglas. This kept Clif close to his Grammy and other cousins, Connie (Grzanka) and Stephen McMurray, with whom he stayed friends his whole life.
Clifs mothers sisters, Viola Soles and Gretchen Middleton, along with his cousin, Kent Bachman, never let time or distance keep them from being loving participants in Clifs life. They became important in his childrens lives too. He treasured them for their lifetime commitment to him after his mother died.
Growing up in Highland Park, Clif made best-friends-for-life with Roger Olds and Dave Nelson. Classic young men of the 50s, they drank, smoked, chased girls, and played pool. The trio became a sextet as they married (Karen Olds, Jenny Nelson) and those friendships continued for over 60 years.
In 1958, his family moved to Washington Township. Clif began dating a girlwhom he promptly dumped when he met her best friend Claudia "Sunny" Johnson. Claudia stood him up on prom night and then they eloped in 1961. In a marriage that was imperfect, exceptional, rocky, yet strong, they shared a loyal love for 40 years until Claudias death in 2001.
Puzzled by the relationship between a hammer and a nail, Clif could nonetheless perform complicated math sans a calculator. So, he carved a career path toward engineering and eventually, like a home-grown Detroiter, entered the auto industry. Which was great, until it wasnt, because it was Detroit in the 1970s. After getting laid off, Clif hustled his way into the news business selling, delivering, and distributing newspapers for both the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News. Eventually, he returned to GM. He continued to work in both industries, retiring from Cadillac in 1991, then the Detroit News in 1997. He then promptly took up working with his youngest son in his pool business.
Clif left three children behind whom he loved unconditionally and with everything he had.
His eldest, Kim, both baffled and entranced him. Clif, brilliant at cards and other games, patiently taught her how to play many of his favorites. She adopted his enthusiasm (if not his skill) and, over the years, played countless games of cribbage, Parcheesi, and gin rummy over steaks and dirty martinis. They carved out their own special memories.
His oldest son, Erik, required much sacrifice. But because Clif was ever loyal, he never turned his back on family. Erik and his wife Jeannie gave him a granddaughter, Lanie, a sweet, gregarious, precocious child whom Clif cherished.
Brendt, his youngest, matured into Clifs most stalwart child. With Brendt and his wife Connie Dionne, Clif enjoyed family dinners, sports talk and the easy companionship of daily conversation and shared work. Clif was over-the-moon proud of his smart and athletic grandson Daniel and the caliber of father that Brendt had become. After Clifs move to a nursing home, Brendt visited him every day for the almost two years he was there. In his final days, Brendt was Clifs unequivocal hero.
Clif also left behind a sister, Pauline Blanka, and a brother, Douglas. He could be a rotten big brother when they were young, but they dished it right back at times. Like that time Pauline left out a tempting bottle of Vernors, Clifs favorite pop only for him to find he was gulping down a bottle of apple cider vinegar in disguise. The siblings never saw eye to eye on much, but they never let disagreements sever their relationship and remained a part of each others lives. Despite Clif's garrulousness, Pauline drove hundreds of miles several times to spend time with him in the nursing home and he was very glad to see her every time.
Clif Scripture was not well traveled, well read, or well educated. He was stubborn, socially awkward and inappropriate, and his superpower was procrastination. But he was also unpretentious, hard-working, humble, patient, good-natured, and fiercely loyal. He may have never built much wealth, but his family never wanted for anything. And he provided them what was most important love and security. Clif couldnt abide religion and didnt believe in a god. He was a pragmatist that believed in fair play and honesty. He could be stubborn, but he could also keep an open mind and adapt, especially if it was for the benefit of someone he loved.
He loved to make cheesy jokes and pithy aphorisms. One of the gems Clif liked to share (especially with his children) was, that when driving, remember please - two solid objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Another was a classic "dad" joke -- Why is the cemetery so crowded? Because people are dying to get in there. He would laugh at his own joke, the sound grabbing you like a giant, warm bear hug you couldnt resist until you were laughing too, no matter how bad the joke.
When you think of Clif and remember a bad joke he told you, remember his laugh. And then join him with your own hearty guffaw. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Clifton, please visit our Tree Store.