BERNE — Clifford Lloyd Whitely, of Berne, was an Army veteran with a love for the outdoors and a dedication to the family he created with his wife of 52 years. Mr. Whitely died on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at the age of 75. 

he was born on Sept. 15, 1947, and raised throughout upstate New York as his parents took on various jobs to support the family, including running a farm and a restaurant, with Mr. Whitely often helping out. 

“He was working as young as 11,” said his youngest daughter, Anita Whitely.

They eventually settled in Voorheesville, where Mr. Whitely graduated from high school before entering the Army as an infantryman in 1966. He was stationed in South Korea, and left the service in 1969. 

Mr. Whitely then entered the workforce as a telephone service technician for Verizon, and also served in the National Guard for 13 years. He worked for Verizon for 35 years before becoming a driver and delivering a wide variety of goods, finally retiring in 2012.

In 1969, Mr. Whitely met his future wife, Cathy Bergeron, in a bar. They married two years later on July 24, 1971. 

From 1971 until 1977, the couple lived in Troy, and moved to Berne in 1977. Like many on the Hill, Mr. Whitely was fond of the outdoors and frequently spent his time hunting and fishing. Indoors, he was partial to watching Westerns and documentaries. 

As a father of four, Mr. Whitely was steady and even-tempered, Anita Whitely said. 

“He wasn’t a very angry type of person,” Ms. Whitely said. “It took a lot to get him mad.”

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Clifford L. Whitely is survived by his wife, Cathy; his children, Timothy, Rebecca, Keith, and Anita; and his four grandchildren, Christina, Mikayla, Dartanyen, and Jacob. 

A burial service will be held in the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville on March 16, at 11 a.m. with full military honors. There will be no public calling hours.

— Noah Zweifel