About cliff

It all started when…

Jack and June had a sweet child… Cliff in Cambridge, MA giving him a code he lived his life by, and never failed to enjoy that life.

 He grew up in Oak Park, MI., a child of the ‘60s, where he had an enthusiasm for sports, camped with the Boy Scouts, and served as an altar boy. He graduated from the University of Detroit High School and Michigan State University, where he developed a love for Henry David Thoreau and the writer’s simple life. Perhaps it was this that made him a peacekeeper all his life. 

He met his wife in 1969 in Washington, D.C., at the largest U.S. anti-war rally in history. He worked for many years for PanAm airways where he combined a love of aviation - as he always wanted to be a pilot - and travel. He and Denise visited Russia, Greece, London, and Amsterdam among other places. Later, the couple lived in Iran – barely missing the 1978 revolution there – and Saudi Arabia. He traveled because he valued the common humanity in the people he met as well as their differences while enjoying a beer with them.

After PanAm folded, Cliff worked in human relations for Goodman Manufacturing in Houston, TX., and later Sunbelt Rentals in Charlotte. The perfect job for someone who believed that everyone has a story worth listening to.

Moving to North Carolina helped Cliff become bicoastal: he enjoyed both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. He looked forward every year to a trip to Ocracoke Island.

His childhood enthusiasm for sports – exemplified by the green MSU flag flying over his front door - morphed into a passion for golf that was infectious. He loved the game no matter how he played; which was good because some days a good walk is spoiled. He used the sport to bond with his family, often taking his daughter, Heather, to Topgolf, and his grand-niece Daly to putt-putt, witnessing her first hole-in-one. Cliff’s passion for golf blossomed with his son, Darren, creating a bond of friendship, and helping his son become a PGA member. The two played together and traveled together to many tournaments. They completed the patron grand slam of golf in 2019 when they attended the 148th Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. 

Cliff volunteered with his son and later worked at The First Tee of Greater Charlotte where he was the site director of the Charles T. Myers Golf Course, teaching life skills while his son taught golf skills.  Cliff used his life experiences and the discipline of golf to help young people build character. One of his friends described him as someone who exemplified the core values of The First Tee.

In college, Cliff had become attached to the prose poem Desiderata, and kept a copy on a wall in his home. Its ending is fitting:  “With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.” 

Cliff is survived by his wife Denise, daughter Heather and son Darren, all of Charlotte; two sisters, Carolyn Nelford and Nancy Wiley, both of California; and hundreds of friends. Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and June Reilly. Click here for Memorial Service info

Please email Darren with any questions, adding sentiments, or adding pictures to the gallery at drpgacoach@gmail.com to keep Cliff’s memory and spirit alive.