CLIFFORD PALMER

PALMER--Clifford R., son, brother, friend, world traveler, tastemaker, mentor, wit, and self-appointed guardian of good design, died in 2026 at age 91. Born in Brooklyn in 1934 to Oscar, a New York City police officer, and Ethel Palmer, Cliff was shaped early by New York City's rhythm and beauty. He shared a close lifelong bond with his sister, Adele. From P.S. 119 and Midwood High School to Fordham University, where he studied business, he was always a student of people, culture, and style. His first job at Macy's introduced him to presentation and taste -- skills that defined his career. He later retired from Steuben Glass as manager of its Fifth Avenue store, helping expand the brand globally. Crystal, architecture, interiors, theater, opera, and classical music were all part of his fluent vocabulary. Cliff lived for many years in Bronxville, New York, where he served two decades on his cooperative board, strengthening finances and overseeing renovations that left the building better than he found it. He was a trusted guide to friends traveling the world, often with lifelong friend Joe Woods, and equally at home recommending a hidden cafe, critiquing living-room lighting, or delivering a perfectly timed dry remark. His taste was impeccable ("Three tchotchkes only!"). His humor subtle. His generosity constant. Beneath the polish was deep compassion. Cliff comforted others easily, formed lasting bonds across generations, and gave freely of his time, knowledge, and heart. He noticed things -- how rooms felt, how cities breathed, how friends were doing. Clifford Palmer leaves behind a world more beautiful, refined, and far warmer for having known him.