Dear Family and Friends

    To all of you, I offer this short letter to tell of my life and memories that I hope you carry with you.

    My Life was one of many contrasts, borne from extreme perspectives.  I've seen so many things and traveled so many miles that it is fitting my journey ends here.  Or perhaps begins here.

    I've seen the tender joy of the birth and life of my children and I've seen the terrible destruction and reality of war.  I often wondered how it is that we can be part of such a beautiful creation and, at the same time, masters of the tools of war.  I can only say that we served and obeyed the will of our country.  In our children there is the creation from which we gained hope and it was the idea that we might be giving hope that carried us through those many long days and nights of combat.  It is a perplexing and yet simple contrast which continues without reason.

    I've touched the hands of many nations as I traveled with the Air Force.  I only wish that I had the same courage in touching the lives of few so near.  Please understand that you are all very important to me and that I gave each of you my best, as I knew how.  As soldiers we were trained to deal with many people and many problems.  As people, we had to learn the art of living by ourselves, without the aid of manuals and regulations.  I can only say that none of us are perfect students of life but, all have given, all have taken, all are richer for it.

    I look back on my military career with great pride.  It was there that I came to know myself and where i accomplished things I never dreamed of as a child.  But, military careers are a means to and end and not an end in of themselves.  With regrets, I retired and moved on to the life most of you know.

    I created a business with my mind and my hands, and it grew.  It may never have made it to the ranks of a Fortune 500 company but it was mine and I made it work.  Today it carries my name and it is like my fourth child.  The pain of its birth and the struggle to survive was no different than that experienced by each of us in life.  I only ask that you use my name with great care.  Give dignity to that which it is attached.

    To my family, I gave each of you something precious you may have to continue looking, but it lies within each of you and you will know when you've found it.  It is my love as I understood it.  It was never easy but it was always genuine.

    I've played many roles as many characters and have finally exited the stage.  The airman, the husband, the father, and the friend.  Each role brought both triumph and defeat.  Learn from my failures but always take time to remember my successes.  And please do not judge me so harshly that you can not see the difference.  Each of you have your own roles to play and like mine, your measure of skill will determine your reviews.

    Now my rest begins.  Take the time to care for each other and remember that my love and spirit will travel with you always.

Cheers!

Cliff