Clifford Byron Anthony, 81, passed away peacefully in his sleep, on December 25, 2016, at St. Andrews Village, in Indiana, PA, from complications of Parkinson’s Disease.
He was born February 26, 1935, in Punxsutawney, a son of the late Mark Anthony and Bertha (Enns) Anthony.
On June 16, 1953, he married his childhood sweetheart, Twila M. “Peggy” (Steele) Anthony, who survives. They were married for sixty-three years.
Clifford was a graduate of the Punxsutawney High School Class of 1953. He served as President for the FFA club during high school.
Clifford was a man of very deep religious conviction. In his later years, he was a member of the First Church of God of Punxsutawney and took great strength from the Sunday school class he attended. He had served in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church as a superintendent and as a Sunday school teacher. He was an original supporter of the “We Care” Pregnancy Center and believed in their mission. He also served on the Salvation Army building committee.
He loved to farm and create new ideas. He enjoyed doing projects and was always looking for something new to achieve. Clifford had a generous heart and loved his family deeply.
Clifford’s love of farming guided the largest portion of his working life. Having grown up working on one of the largest seed farms in the area owned by his family set the foundation. He and Peggy purchased their own farm in 1956 and started with poultry farming. To raise four children, he also started in the insurance business and first worked as an agent for Farm Family Insurance Company, later progressing to District Manager. He and his wife eventually opened their own full service independent brokerage agency, The Clifford Anthony Agency, until they decided to sell it in 1982.
In returning to farming full time, Clifford was very driven to operate the meat business from start to finish and sold to customers under Clearview Farms. For many years, they were at the forefront of bringing their quality pork products to farmers markets and were written up in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette as one of the Pittsburgh markets favorite farm-to-table suppliers. They also shipped their products to many states in fulfilling the Christmas and holiday gift market. They developed a reputation as one of the finest quality pork producers. His hams, bacon, sausage and roasting pigs were hard to beat.
In addition to his wife Peggy, surviving relatives include four children, Sarah A. Rising and husband Joseph of Rochester Mills, Timothy Anthony and wife Teresa of Denton, TX, Edward Anthony and wife Diane of Hillsdale, and Barbara Means and husband Stephen of Punxsutawney; seven grandchildren, Tonya Hsiung, Jason Anthony, Tina Mundy, Peggy Cribbs, Candice Benek, and Kyle and Matthew Means; seven great-grandchildren, Alana Hsiung, Madison Wheeler and Kylie Benek, Jolene and Alex Cribbs, Caleb Mundy, and Mackenzie Means; six step-grandchildren, Josh and Kelly Pierce, Michael Frederickson, Amanda Miricle, and Adam and Josh Burris; and seven step great-grandchildren, Lauren and Kesler Frederickson, Taylor Boolin, Hunter and Caiden Miricle, and Beckett and Addision Burris.
He was the oldest of ten children. Surviving siblings include, John Anthony and wife Ruth of Plumville, Bob Anthony and wife Janet of Punxsutawney, Joan Diem and husband Dave of Marchand, Wayne Anthony and wife Judy of Smicksburg, Charles Anthony of Jacksonville, FL, Gary Anthony of Punxsutawney, and Kathy Titus and husband Bill of Cook Forest. He is also survived by a sister-in-law Betty Anthony of Punxsutawney, a brother-in-law Joe O’Dell of Indiana, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister Alice O’Dell, a brother LeRoy Anthony, and an infant sister Angel Anthony.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at the Deeley Funeral Home, Punxsutawney and from 10 a.m., till the time of service, on Thursday, December, 29, 2016, at the First Church of God of Punxsutawney.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, December 29, 2016, at the First Church of God with Pastor Greg Smith officiating.
Interment will be in Marchand Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made, in memory of Mr. Anthony, to the “We Care” Pregnancy Center, P.O. Box 51, Punxsutawney, PA 15767.
Online condolences can be made at http://www.deeleyfuneralhome.com
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