Gregory F. Clifford

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Obituary for Chief Magistrate Gregory F. Clifford

Chief Magistrate Gregory F. Clifford, Esq., a devoted public servant, respected jurist, and steadfast champion of the community, passed away leaving an enduring legacy of leadership, mentorship, and justice. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, who rose from humble beginnings, he dedicated his life to uplifting others and strengthening the institutions he so faithfully served.

Chief Magistrate Clifford served the Cleveland Municipal Court with distinction beginning in 1986 as a General Referee and Magistrate, and from 2001 as Chief Magistrate. In this role, he managed magistrates and support staff handling small claims, traffic, misdemeanor, and civil matters, and provided legal research and recommendations to the Court's General Division judges. Before his long tenure on the bench, he served as an Assistant Prosecutor for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office and practiced law privately. A member of the Ohio Bar since 1981, his legal career was marked by integrity, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to fairness.

A proud graduate of Ohio University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Education, and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, where he received his Juris Doctor, Chief Clifford remained deeply devoted to his alma mater. He was a life member and longtime Board Trustee of the Cleveland-Marshall Law Alumni Association (CMLAA), serving as its President from 2016–2017. He was instrumental in founding the Minority Outreach Committee, an initiative that has helped countless minority students acclimate to law school and the legal profession through mentorship, programming, and fellowship. He also served on the College of Law's Board of Visitors and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2019.

Throughout his career, Chief Clifford held numerous leadership roles, including Past President of the Norman S. Minor Bar Association and the Ohio Association of Magistrates. He also served as a course planner and faculty member for the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College. His civic and nonprofit involvement spanned decades, including service with Catholic Charities Services Corporation, the Cleveland Branch NAACP, the East Cleveland Public Library, the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Citizens Advisory Board, and many others.

Chief Clifford was a founding force behind the 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc., helping establish its Cleveland chapter in 1997 after years of effort to bring the national organization's mission to the city. As Chairman Emeritus of its Board of Directors, he remained deeply invested in mentoring and youth advocacy. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he conceived the "Walk A Mile With A Child" initiative-an opportunity for mentors and mentees to connect safely while fostering health, dialogue, and inspiration. What began as a simple walk became a powerful symbol of support, reminding young men that they matter and that their futures are filled with possibility.

Chief Magistrate Clifford had been on the Glenville Alumni Association Executive Board since the 1990s. He held many positions including Treasurer, Vice President, and Scholarship Ball Committee Chairman. Chief Clifford was instrumental in starting the Glenville Alumni Associations Membership Endowment Fund through the Cleveland Foundation. Chief Clifford also chaired the 1967 Class Reunion Committee. He was a proud Glenville Tarblooder.

His many honors reflect a life of service and excellence. Among them were the Distinguished Alumni Award for Civic Involvement from Cleveland State University, the Norman S. Minor Bar Association Trailblazer Award, the Franklin A. Polk Public Servants Merit Award, the Archbishop James P. Lyke African American Male Image Award from the Knights of St. Peter Claver, and numerous other recognitions for civic leadership and volunteerism. He was featured in Who's Who In Black Cleveland, was a Shriner, and a Thirty-Third Degree Prince Hall Mason. He was also a dedicated member of the Raynards and the Royal Vagabonds.

Chief Magistrate Clifford was a proud member of the Prince Hall Masonry, a historically Black jurisdiction of Freemasonry. He had received the highest honorary degree, recognizing exceptional service, leadership, and dedication to the community. He joined other amazing trailblazers such as Jesse Jackson, Thurgood Marshall, and John Lewis by achieving this highest honor.

Beyond his titles and accolades, Chief Magistrate Gregory F. Clifford was a beacon of integrity, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to justice and community upliftment. He blazed trails that opened doors for generations of lawyers and leaders. Most importantly, he was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose faith and family anchored his extraordinary life of service.

In his retirement, Chief Magistrate Clifford enjoyed traveling across the world with his wife, Karen, and spending time with his family and friends. He loved visiting his kids and grandkids in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas. He was also a dedicated member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He was kindly nicknamed "Mr. Aloysious" because of his dedicated service to the church, working as Chair of the Finance Committee, Pastor Counsel and Men's Club.

His passing leaves a profound void in East Cleveland and throughout the legal and civic communities he so deeply impacted. Yet his legacy lives on-in every student he mentored, every young man encouraged, every barrier dismantled, and every life he touched.

Chief Magistrate Gregory F. Clifford will be deeply missed, but his light will continue to shine through the countless individuals and institutions strengthened by his life.

Along with a host of friends and family members who loved him dearly, Chief Clifford is survived by his beloved wife, Karen; his daughter, Tia, and her husband, Turbat; his son, David, and his wife, Ruth and their three children, Emmanuel, Gabriel and Elijah; and his beloved brother, Jeffrey.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Clifford, Jr. and Ellen Gleason Clifford, and sister Carolyn Clifford.