V. Clifford "Cliff" Duffer

Vernon Clifford Duffer, 85, of Indianapolis, died July 27, 2025.

Cliff was born on June 15, 1940, in Adolphus, Kentucky, to Vernon Duffer and Viola (Keen) Duffer. He married Beverly Ann (Baker) Duffer, on May 30, 1962. They shared 61 years together until her passing in 2023.

Cliff was a proud Boilermaker, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1962 and a master’s in industrial engineering in 1984 from Purdue University. A graduate of Purdue’s ROTC program, he served in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1965. After six months of technical training at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, Cliff transferred to the 788th Radar Squadron at Waverly Air Force Station in Waverly, Iowa. Rising to the rank of first lieutenant, he held several positions, including electronics maintenance officer.

Both before and after his military service, Cliff worked at the Naval Air Warfare Center, a United States Navy facility in Indianapolis. He held various roles, including electronics engineer, branch manager and associate director, across several divisions over three decades. When NAWC closed in 1996, Cliff retired from federal service but continued to work in the same building for Hughes and later Raytheon. He retired from Raytheon in 2006, concluding a distinguished civilian career.

Cliff was a man of many passions. He was an accomplished painter and photographer, capturing the beauty he saw in his extensive travels. He visited all 50 states, as well as Canada, Mexico and Europe. Cliff loved gifting his family and friends with framed photographs from his journeys. An avid genealogist as well, he meticulously traced his and his wife’s family histories back hundreds of years.

Cliff was a devoted father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by his loving family. He is survived by his daughters, Teresa McClain (Marty), Angela Roberts (Joseph) and Sheila Butler, and his granddaughters, Anne Mei McClain, Eleanor McClain, Eve Roberts and Allison Roberts.

Friends and family are invited to attend Cliff’s visitation on Saturday, August 23, from 12-2 p.m. at Flanner Buchanan – Washington Park East, 10722 E. Washington St., Indianapolis. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m., followed by a graveside service with military honors at Washington Park East Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Honor Flight Network at - Honor Flight, Box L-4016, Columbus, OH 43260-4016