Jan. 23, 1930 -April 22, 2016
Obituary 3498119 and photo in 5/6/2016 McMinnville N-R/News-Register, with slight editing/rewriting by Wilcatville
Linfield Athletics Hall of Famer Cliff Saxton (Clifford Francis Saxton), born Jan. 23, 1930, in Pierre, South Dakota, passed away April 22, 2016, in McMinnville.
He was preceded in death by his wife, LaRene Cross Saxton, and brothers, Phil and Alvin.
In 1937, the family moved to Portland, where Cliff’s dad owned a grocery store on Union Avenue while building homes in the Northeast Portland area.
Graduating from Jefferson High in 1948, Cliff had the honor of playing in the first Oregon Shrine All-Star football game. He was an all-America football player for the Linfield Wildcats, lettering in the 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951 seasons.
In 2005, he was enshrined in the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame:
In 1952, he married
LaRene Cross and graduated from Linfield.
He began a
teaching and football coaching career at Shedd High School, followed by
Siuslaw, North Bend and McNary (Keizer) high schools. He completed his 32-year
education career as Athletic Director at Sprague High School (Salem).
Cliff was known as a man of integrity who impacted the lives of many, young and old, who had the pleasure of knowing him as a family man, coach, teacher, friend and colleague.
Always active, Clifford sold real estate, played golf, fished the Alsea River, boated in the San Juan Islands and traveled to Mexico and Arizona.
He is survived by his brother, Richard (Karen); daughter, Gayle Toft (Mick); son, Rob (Toni); and five grandchildren.
When Cliff was enshrined in the Linfield Athletics Hall of
Fame in 2005, his “Hall” bio says Cliff and LaRene’s “two grown
children, Gayle Toft and Rob Saxton, and their spouses are also Linfield
graduates and a granddaughter will graduate from Linfield in January.”
Services will be held at 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 12, 2016, at McNary Golf Course in Keizer. Please visit
Keizerchapel.com to leave memories on his webpage.
...............................
LaRene died in 2011. Here is her
obit from the June 16, 2011, Salem, Ore., Statesman-Journal:
LaRene Cross Saxton
January 19, 1931 - June 2, 2011
LaRene Cross Saxton, 80, of Keizer, Oregon, passed away on June 2, 2011, at a local care facility.
She was born on January 19, 1931, in Albany, Oregon, to Willis Kenneth and Louise (Robinette) Cross. LaRene lived in Albany until 18, when she attended college at Oregon State University in Corvallis for her freshman year. She transferred to Linfield College in McMinnville for her sophomore and junior year, majoring in music. She earned a teaching degree from Western Oregon State College with a minor in music.
LaRene married Cllifford Saxton on August 24th, 1952, enjoying 59 years of a fulfilling marriage comprised of friendship, love, and happiness. Together they lived in Shedd, Florence, and North Bend, before moving to the Salem/ Keizer area where they lived for the last 44 years. LaRene was an elementary school teacher, and taught first grade in room 2 for 17 years at Highland Elementary School in Salem.
She loved her family dearly, and spent hours supporting them with endless patience, her keen sense of humor, love of laughter, and unconditional encouragement. A voracious reader, LaRene was constantly engrossed in a book, and she loved to knit, play classical piano, and travel.
LaRene is survived by her husband of 59 years, Clifford, of Salem; daughter, Gayle Toft and her husband, Mickey of McMinnville; son, Rob Saxton and his wife ,Toni of Sherwood; grandchildren, Erin Toft of Portland, Elaina Toft of Eugene, Bryan Toft of McMinnville, Sean Saxton of El Paso, Texas, and Ellany Saxton of Sherwood.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, June 17, at 2:00 pm, at the Salem KROC Community Center, 1865 Bill Fey Dr. Arrangements were entrusted to Keizer Funeral Chapel. Memorials may be sent to The American Cancer Society of Oregon, or Serenity Palliative Care and Hospice.
January 19, 1931 - June 2, 2011
LaRene Cross Saxton, 80, of Keizer, Oregon, passed away on June 2, 2011, at a local care facility.
She was born on January 19, 1931, in Albany, Oregon, to Willis Kenneth and Louise (Robinette) Cross. LaRene lived in Albany until 18, when she attended college at Oregon State University in Corvallis for her freshman year. She transferred to Linfield College in McMinnville for her sophomore and junior year, majoring in music. She earned a teaching degree from Western Oregon State College with a minor in music.
LaRene married Cllifford Saxton on August 24th, 1952, enjoying 59 years of a fulfilling marriage comprised of friendship, love, and happiness. Together they lived in Shedd, Florence, and North Bend, before moving to the Salem/ Keizer area where they lived for the last 44 years. LaRene was an elementary school teacher, and taught first grade in room 2 for 17 years at Highland Elementary School in Salem.
She loved her family dearly, and spent hours supporting them with endless patience, her keen sense of humor, love of laughter, and unconditional encouragement. A voracious reader, LaRene was constantly engrossed in a book, and she loved to knit, play classical piano, and travel.
LaRene is survived by her husband of 59 years, Clifford, of Salem; daughter, Gayle Toft and her husband, Mickey of McMinnville; son, Rob Saxton and his wife ,Toni of Sherwood; grandchildren, Erin Toft of Portland, Elaina Toft of Eugene, Bryan Toft of McMinnville, Sean Saxton of El Paso, Texas, and Ellany Saxton of Sherwood.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, June 17, at 2:00 pm, at the Salem KROC Community Center, 1865 Bill Fey Dr. Arrangements were entrusted to Keizer Funeral Chapel. Memorials may be sent to The American Cancer Society of Oregon, or Serenity Palliative Care and Hospice.
