Wyland L. Clift

WYLAND L. CLIFT, 93, A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SOUTH CANAAN, DIED PEACEFULLY MONDAY EVENING AT HOME, SURROUNDED BY FAMILY FOLLOWING A SERIES OF HEALTH ISSUES OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, THE FORMER SHIRLEY L. RACHT. THEY WOULD HAVE CELEBRATED THEIR 70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ON OCTOBER 19TH. BORN IN CARBONDALE ON AUGUST 16, 1928, HE WAS THE SON OF THE LATE JAMES RUSSELL CLIFT AND EDITH TURNER CLIFT SCHENK. A 1946 GRADUATE OF WAYMART HIGH SCHOOL, HE ATTENDED A ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE IN SOUTH CANAAN UNTIL THE DISTRICT OPENED THE SOUTH CANAAN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS IN 5TH GRADE. A CARPENTER BY TRADE, HE LOGGED WITH HIS FATHER EARLIER IN HIS LIFE AND BUILT HIS HOUSE WITH TREES HE CUT FROM HIS PROPERTY AND SAWED INTO LUMBER AT HIS FATHERS SAWMILL. RETIRED IN 1993 FROM THE SCRANTON CARPENTERS UNION, HE HELPED TO BUILD AND RENOVATE MANY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN THE AREA INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WESTERN WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL. HE HAD A LIFELONG INTEREST IN AVIATION AND LEARNED HOW TO PILOT SMALL AIRCRAFT BEFORE HE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE A CAR. HE ALSO LOVED MOTORCYCLES AND RODE MOST OF HIS LIFE UNTIL HE PARKED HIS GOLDWING AT THE AGE OF 88. A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THREE MOTORCYCLE CLUBS, HE HELPED ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATED IN MANY VARIETY SHOWS WITH THE PLEASURE RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB TO BENEFIT ANYONE WHO NEEDED HELP. A “JACK OF ALL TRADES” AND A MASTER OF MOST, HE HELPED HIS FAMILY WITH MANY PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS AND COULD OUTWORK ANYONE. HE TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN HIS PROPERTY AND GARDEN, AND AS A YOUNGER MAN OFTEN USED HIS FATHERS TEAM OF WORK HORSES INSTEAD OF A TRACTOR. AS HARDWORKING AS HE WAS, HE TOOK THE TIME TO ENJOY LIFE. HE LOVED TO SOCIALIZE, REMININISE, AND SPEND TIME WITH HIS FAMILY. HE WAS ESPECIALLY PROUD OF HIS GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND ENJOYED FISHING IN THE POND WITH THEM AND ATTENDING THEIR SPORTING EVENTS. HE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED HIS AFFILIATION WITH THE HONESDALE PLEASURE RIDER’S, THE NORTHEAST PLEASURE RIDERS, AND RUSTY’S RIDERS. HE AND SHIRLEY EXPERIENCED MANY GROUP RIDES, TOURING VACATIONS, AND GET-TOGETHERS WITH THEIR CLOSE MOTORCYCLE FRIENDS OVER THE YEARS. THEY ALSO ENJOYED CRUISES AND TRAVELING AND TOOK ANNUAL VACATIONS TO FLORIDA AND MYRTLE BEACH. HE WAS A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF ST. MARY’S RC CHURCH IN WAYMART. HIS WORK ETHIC, STRENGTH, DETERMINATION, AND EXAMPLE HAS ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED HIS ENTIRE FAMILY. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT ROLE MODEL AND WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED AND LOVINGLY REMEMBERED. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY FIVE CHILDREN: DR. ROBERT B. CLIFT, STILLWATER, MINNESOTA; WYLAND DALE CLIFT, ESQ. AND WIFE MAUREEN, PLANTSVILLE, CONN.; DIANNE M. JENKINS, DENISE L. KROMKO AND HUSBAND EDWARD, AND DONNA J. BURDICK AND HUSBAND DONNIE; ALL OF WAYMART; THIRTEEN GRANDCHILDREN: MATTHEW CLIFT, ERIC AND JEREMY JENKINS, KEVIN, JASON, AND JUSTIN KROMKO, LEANNE JAFFER, MICHAEL SMITH, BRITTANY YATSONSKY, AND DONOVAN AND BRIANNA BURDICK; MARISSA SYLVESTER, AND MEAGAN ALBANESE; 23 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN; COUSINS, NIECES, AND NEPHEWS. HE WAS ALSO PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS STEP PARENTS: WILLIAM SCHENK AND BERNEDA CLIFT, AND A SON-IN-LAW, GARY B. JENKINS. HIS FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE WAYNE MEMORIAL HOSPICE NURSES AND AIDES, AND CAREGIVER NANCY REINA, FOR THEIR KINDNESS, SUPPORT, AND EXCELLENT CARE. THE FUNERAL WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1ST, AT 11:00 AM IN ST. MARY’S CHURCH, WITH MASS CONDUCTED BY THE REV. JOSEPH SITKO, PASTOR. ALL ATTENDING THE SERVICE ARE ASKED TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE CHURCH. INTERMENT WILL FOLLOW IN CLINTON CENTER CEMETERY. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE MADE IN WYLAND’S MEMORY TO WAYNE MEMORIAL HOSPICE, 601 PARK ST., HONESDALE, 18431, ST. MARY’S CHURCH, P.O. BOX 160, WAYMART, 18472, OR TO THE CHARITY OF THE DONOR’S CHOICE. ARRANGEMENTS ARE ENTRUSTED TO JENKINS-HOWELL FUNERAL HOME, INC. EDWARD R. HOWELL, FUNERAL DIRECTOR, 269 BELMONT STREET, WAYMART PA 18472. WWW.JENKINSHOWELLFUNERALHOME.COM