LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Patrick Gordon Clifton
Patrick Gordon Clifton
Patrick Gordon Clifton, 38, passed away at home in Sitka on Jan. 28, 2018.
Services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Sitka Elks Lodge. A celebration of life will follow at the Halibut Point Recreation Area South Shelter.
Patrick was born Jan. 22, 1980, in Yakima, Wash., to Jay and Victoria (Tebb) Clifton. The first grandchild on both sides – oh, he was specially loved!
Patrick grew from daddy’s little helper into a very capable man. As he grew into the physical ability he would quickly master the skills and technique required for the next task – seemed like he could do anything that he set his mind to do.
Patrick liked animals, and had a special fondness for a certain few dogs and horses in his life. He enjoyed opportunities of hunting adventures with his dad and friends.
He spent his first years on the (cousin) McInnis’ farm, then time with his mother and soon siblings Ellyse and Alex. He also spent time with his dad on the Stelzer farm in Dufur, Ore.
Patrick got into commercial fishing at the age of 8, helping his dad with summer trolling out of Security Bay and Gedney Harbor in Alaska. Summers fishing with dad turned into summers and winters fishing with dad after his mother passed away when he was 14. Patrick and his Dad continued trolling and found themselves in Sitka in the fall of 1994. At the age of 15 Patrick was a commercial harvest diver!
Tommy Williamson offered a much better opportunity for Patrick than fishing with dad: marine construction. With WS Construction in Sitka, Patrick learned about big equipment, and liked operating, rigging, welding, diving and building.
His last three school years were spent with Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa Willie in Yakima, forming a tight bond with them. Still, summers meant work for Patrick: fishing or construction.
He graduated in 1999 from West Valley High, his dad’s old school. He spent a school year at Big Bend Community College where he learned to fly and met and married Becky (Jacobson). After three years in Moses Lake, Wash., he came back home to Sitka in 2003 with his precious family, Becky and beautiful daughters, Bailey and Tayler.
With Tommy Williamson’s guidance and help Patrick built and put his family into a new house, operated his own charter boat and even established his own marine construction business – “Clifton Enterprises.” In 2008, Patrick and Becky welcomed their third beautiful daughter, Bristol, into the world.
After some years of marine construction on his own, Patrick sold his equipment, tug, crane and barge, and bought the F/V Lovey JoAnn to fish with dad again, seining!
In June 2017 he married Trina Lea Vila, who seined with him on his new boat the F/V Confidence. Trina was lovingly there for him tending to his needs through his final hours.
Patrick was touched and positively influenced by many people of fine character; he had a wealth of very fine people as friends. Many made loving, caring visits during his last months.
Patrick will be remembered as one who loved his girls, Bailey, Tayler and Bristol; loved adventure; was confident and fearless of a new challenge. He was smart, with rugged strength and endurance but after nine years of contending with his cancer he finally had to let go.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Victoria (Tebb) Phillips, his maternal grandfather, Gordon Tebb, and his paternal grandfather Jerry Clifton.
Patrick is survived by his wife, Trina Lea Vila, daughters Bailey, Tayler and Bristol Clifton; father Jay (Sherry) Clifton with brother and sister Tommy and Grace Clifton all of Sitka; grandmother Carolyn (Willie) Van de Graaf; aunt Jan (Gary) Logston; uncle Jimmy (Lorri) Clifton; and cousins Kyle and Kelsey Clifton all of Yakima.
Stepfather Kevin Phillips and brother Alex Phillips both of Yakima, sister Ellyse (Michael) Capobianco of Hermosa Beach, Calif., grandmother Deidre (Mike) Northcutt of Alta Sierra, Calif., uncle Tom (Vickey) Tebb of Prosser, Wash., aunt Wendy (Randy) Kenyon of Mountain View, Calif., aunt Mehri Herlitz of Grass Valley, Calif., and uncle Stephen (Kathleen) Tebb of Napa, Calif., and many cousins also survive.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.