Clifton "Clif" Sikes

Clifton Clarence Sikes, of Corsicana, passed away October 25, 2025, at the age of 67. He was born in Pasadena, California on April 16, 1958, to Clarence and Beatrice Sikes. He and his family eventually moved to Texas. In 1969, he was in a farm accident, that severed his left foot and did some damage to his back. Bill Roughton drove him in the ambulance to the hospital in Corsicana, and Dr. Scott Middleton was there, and was able to perform an "experimental" surgery on him (That saved Clif's foot). Dr. Middleton had recently returned from Vietnam, where he used that same surgery procedure on some of the troops. The surgery was written up in the medical journals.
Clifton graduated from Corsicana High School in 1976, and went on to Navarro College and Tarleton State University, earning a Bachelors and Masters Degree in History. In 1982, he married Paula (Crawford) Sikes, and they were blessed to be together 43 years (June 12).
He counted it a blessing to be able to volunteer for The Texas Baptist Men, working asset protection for them on numerous occasions following hurricanes and tornados various places in Texas. He was a high school teacher in Blooming Grove for 32 years, teaching Government, History, and Economics. He organized Project Graduation there for many years; to provide a safe "after-graduation" celebration He truly loved teaching and loved his students. He especially enjoyed when his former students were able to get back in touch with him and catch him up on how they were doing. He loved guns, mustangs, and traveling. He and his wife (along with their daughter Allison in many cases) took numerous trips to Europe and were privileged to travel to all 50 states. He was a member of Central Baptist Church of Blooming Grove and helped with the safety team there.
For the last two years, he had been a resident at Village of Heritage Oaks. The family wishes to thank the staff there, for the kindness and wonderful care they provided.
Clifton is survived by his wife, Paula, of Corsicana, daughter and son-in-law Allison (Sikes) Albach and Shawn, sister and brother-in-law Karen and Jim Moore, sister Ginger Sikes, nephew, Clinton Sikes and Kim Petty, Michael Crawford and Brittany Wadsworth, nieces, Leyla Norman and her husband Chris, Rhonda Freeland and Brandon Dowd, Crystal Joles and Jason Crocker, several great nieces and nephews, several cousins, one uncle, Ernest Sikes, and one aunt, Joy Kastler.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, Clarence and Delight Sikes, in-laws Leon and Mary Crawford, both sets of grandparents and numerous aunts and uncles.
The visitation will be held at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 5-7pm, and the services will be Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 10:30am.