William "Bill" A. Cliff
August 2, 1945 — August 3, 2023
Albany
William "Bill" A. Cliff
William (Bill) Cliff of Albany, NY passed away in the early morning of August 3, 2023, in Schaghticoke, N.Y. He was 78 years old.
Bill was born in Columbus, Indiana, on August 2, 1945, to Dr. William and Marjorie Beckman Cliff. He spent his early years in Brooklyn, NY, and moved to Chatham, NJ during elementary school. He graduated from Chatham High School and subsequently received a Bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1967.
After college, Bill lived in Cambridge, MA, and New Paltz, NY, prior to moving to Albany in the early 1970s.
Bill was employed for many years by the Latham Post Office. He also worked for many years at the Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany.
Bill had a great love and talent for music, and he composed a number of original songs. In the 1980s, he developed an interest in becoming a singer-storyteller and performed at many venues in the Albany area over the years. He played his guitar, a mountain dulcimer, and his recorder during his performances.
Over the years, he appeared at the New York State Museum over 100 times. He also performed at Albany airport. He gave shows in the Albany Public Schools from Pre-K through junior high. He also sang and played at libraries, houses of worship, for families, and for senior citizens.
His storytelling sometimes included poetry, but he also liked international folk tales, stories from great spiritual philosophies, and Native American tales.
Bill was a devotee of the Indian spiritual master, Meher Baba. Bill often traveled to the Meher Pilgrim Retreat in India and to the Meher Spiritual Center in South Carolina, where he would often perform. He acquired many lifelong friendships in the Meher Baba community.
Survivors include his sister, Marjorie Picard, of Scotch Plains, NJ, his niece, Deborah Picard (Madusha Gamage) of Revere, MA, his nephew, Bill Picard (Nam Lim), also of Scotch Plains, NJ, and his grandniece, Chloe Picard.
We welcome all to join Bill's family and friends for a celebration of his life on Sunday, August 13th, 12pm-2pm at McLoughlin and Mason Funeral Home at 8 109th Street in Troy.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William "Bill" A. Cliff, please visit our flower store.
Past Services
Celebration of Life
Sunday, August 13, 2023
12:00 - 2:00pm (Eastern time)
McLoughlin & Mason Funeral Home
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