Clifford M. Woodford

Clifford Martin Woodford, 76, of Mankato, died Wednesday, June 17, 2015, following a brief illness.

Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Friday at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary, 2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato and will continue one hour before at the church on Saturday.

Cliff was born on September 29, 1938 near Seaforth, MN to Rosa (Watschke) and Fred Woodford. He was baptized into the Christian faith, and later affirmed his baptism in the rite of Confirmation at Grace Lutheran Church in Belgrade, MN. Cliff grew up in Redwood Falls and Belgrade, Minnesota, graduating from Belgrade High School in 1956. He attended Bemidji State Teachers College where he lettered in multiple sports and was a part of conference champion football teams for the Beavers. Cliff met his first wife, Sandra Hedlund, at Bemidji State, and Cliff and Sandra were married on September 17, 1960 in Bemidji, Minnesota. They worked and lived in Britt and Sheldon, Iowa before moving to North Mankato in 1970. Preceded in death by his wife of 50 years Sandra in 2010, Cliff was remarried in 2012 to Janet Jones. Cliff worked as a physical education teacher and coach for more than 40 years in Britt, Sheldon, and Mankato. Having coached many sports through the years, including football, golf, and baseball, Cliff is best known for coaching the varsity girls basketball teams at Mankato East and Mankato West. Cliff is a member of the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Mankato East Hall of Fame, and the Mankato Area Youth Baseball Hall of Fame (MAYBA). Cliff remained active until his hospitalization May 18, he particularly enjoyed all physical activity, including golf, biking, and gardening. Cliff was active in his Christian congregations, serving as a Sunday School teacher, deacon, and choir member.

Following his retirement, he enjoyed basking in the winter sun of Apache Junction, AZ. More than anything, Cliff loved and enjoyed all the children in his life, those in his family, those who were friends and neighbors, and those he taught and coached.

He is survived by his spouse Janet and her children, John (Jenny) Jones, Jennifer (David) Sachs, Jeff (fiancé, Pam) Jones, his children, Mark (Katie) Woodford of Waukesha, WI, Cara (Randy) Olinger of St. Peter, Eric (Jen) Woodford of Rochester, 13 grandchildren: Molly Woodford of Milwaukee, WI, Libby (Pat) Ives of Ames, IA, Tim and Brad Woodford of Waukesha, WI, Linsey Blaschko of Montgomery, Nate, Heidi, Mallory, and Lexie Blaschko of St. Peter, Heather and Jack Olinger of St. Peter, Maddie and Will Woodford of Rochester, and one great-grandchild Chase Harkins of Montgomery, his sister, Muriel Jensen of Sartell, MN, his brothers, Harvey Woodford of Danbury, WI, and Willard Woodford of St. Peter, along with other relatives and host of friends.

Cliff was preceded in death by his wife Sandra, parents, his brothers, Vern and Floyd Woodford, and his sister, Alice Leach. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Mankato Area Youth Baseball Association or Mankato West Summer Swishers.