Marie Clifton, October 11, 1940, to December 20, 2023

I have known Marie Clifton for more than 25 years. I met her at my first Sierra Mar BPW District after I moved to Monterey Park. She joined BPW in May 1982. She belonged to at least three different BPW Clubs – San Marino, which folded, and then she joined San Gabriel, which folded, and then it was East Valley. She served in various offices in the San Marino and San Gabriel Clubs. Those Clubs also recognized her contributions with certificates and plaques. She served as a Page at State Conventions (as they were called at that time) and continued to serve as Page at Sierra Mar District Conferences until Sierra Mar’s June Training meeting in June 2023. Early on she took the Individual Development course and became the leader of the Sierra Mar Individual Development team. The first course she taught was in 1993 for the El Monte Club. Later, Sally, Maryann and I taught the course with her telling us what we were to teach. My area was Protocol, Parliamentary Procedure and Related Topics. Marie found the place and made all the arrangements for the sessions. Marie credited the ID program and BPW for helping her greatly and as a result, she was dedicated to helping others get ahead by providing opportunities for them to learn from the Individual Development modules.  

Most of us would agree that although she was never a President of Sierra Mar District, she was the one who kept us together. She was the one who got Sierra Mar officers by perhaps twisting arms. She found places for Sierra Mar to have District meetings, copied the materials for the packets, took reservations for attendees, ordered the lunches for us and made sure everything ran according to Sierra Mar’s Bylaws and policies and procedures. By the way it has taken three people to replace her. In 2020 Sierra Mar BPW District awarded Marie Clifton its Ms. BPW plaque for her dedication to BPW and the Individual Development Program (ID). For all this Sierra Mar District awarded her Ms. BPW plaque. This was a well-deserved honor. 

The celebration of her life will be Saturday, January 27th starting at 11:30 A.M. at the Spaghetti Factory in Duarte. Memories of Marie can be given at:  https://obituaries.neptunesociety.com/obituaries/west-covina-ca/marie-clifton-11594141 

As Mavis Hansen says, “There will never be another one like Marie, so let us be grateful to have known her and have her in our lives. I am sure she loves her new wings.”

Submitted by Linda Wilson