Mass of Christian Burial for Andrew Joseph Clifford will be held on Saturday, March 5th, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Ann's Catholic Church in Fairview, OK, followed by interment at Bethel Cemetery.

On February 20, 2022, Dr. Andrew Joseph Clifford died peacefully in his sleep. His family members were with him in person and in spirit.  We are exceedingly grateful that he is at eternal peace.

Andy was born to Bridget Keane and John Clifford in Ardfert, County Kerry, Ireland on January 9, 1940.  He attended University College. Dublin. Ireland where he received both his undergraduate and masters degrees before immigrating to the United States, settling in Stillwater, OK where he received a scholarship to attend Oklahoma State University (OSU).  This is where he met and later married fellow student Carolyn Kay Harman.

After earning his PhD degree from OSU, Andy continued his work with postdoctoral research positions at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. and MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Andy and Carolyn were married in Stillwater, Oklahoma and Carolyn followed Andy out to the east coast, where she completed her PhD at Cornell University.  The young couple started a family with the birth of their first child, a daughter named Berniece Vourneen Clifford, in Ithaca, NY.

Andy and Carolyn then headed west to California where Andy joined the faculty of the Nutrition Department at UC Davis as an Assistant Professor.  Their family grew with the birth of their second child, a son named Amel John Clifford, who was born in Woodland, CA.

During his 41 years of service as a distinguished professor at UC Davis, Andy conducted research and published many scientific papers, mostly centered on the metabolism of vitamins such as Folate, Retinol and Vitamin A in humans. He also spent a year on sabbatical in Bethesda, MD at the National Institutes of Health headquarters continuing his own professional learning and research.  Upon his retirement as professor emeritus, Andy continued his efforts to publish academic papers.

Andy spent considerable time during his tenure at the university teaching and mentoring graduate students.  He served as a member and advisor for the Nutritional Biology Graduate Group, as a member and chair for the Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry Graduate Group, and as a member of the Executive Committee for the Biostatistics Graduate Group.  He found great joy in working with young people and seeing them challenge themselves.  His students kept him young at heart.

Andy was also active in national associations and other professional and honorary organizations such as the American Society of Nutrition, the American Chemical Society and as a member of the editorial board for Plant Food for Human Nutrition.

Locally, Andy attended church at St. James Catholic Church in Davis, CA.  Over the decades, Andy enjoyed traveling with his family to various National Parks in the U.S. and to his farm in Oklahoma.

Andy will be remembered by his friends and family for his wonderful sense of humor, his smile and his tremendous work ethic that he passed along to his children, grandchildren and students.

Andy was preceded in death by his wife of 30 years, Carolyn Kay Clifford.  He is survived by his children; Berniece Vourneen Clifford-Hultman and her husband Darren Hultman of Kensington, MD; Amel John Clifford and his wife Carrie Rausch of Davis, CA; and four grandchildren A.J. Clifford of San Diego, CA; James Clifford of Davis, CA; and Carolyn Signe Hultman and Helen Caitlin Hultman of Kensington, MD.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in memory of Dr. Clifford to the Alzheimer's Association on-line at https://Alzeheimers Association Donations or to the Dementia Society of America by mail to PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, or online at www.DementiaSociety.org/donate .