Clifford Hill R.I.P 1964 - 2010

Procurement & Compliance Executive

Cliff          
          
Where do you begin to describe Cliff, a good place to start would be Cliff by himself.          
          
About 2 years ago I asked every one to write a sentence or two about themselves for the web site. This is what Cliff wrote:    

      
"I'm about 5' 7" on a good day (sunny weather and low gravity permitting) although normally 5' 6" during working hours. I like collecting things, big expensive things and smaller less expensive things, and things that bare little relation to other things as well as other things that can be related, albeit distantly.           
My star sign left me for a Cancerian due to my scepticism and general lack of respect.           
I drive a car and I own a disquieting amount of musical instruments and have three degrees locked in my wine cellar which I stole from John Ruskin in Oxford, Peele at Royal London and Jim at the OU.I also, in order to show that I am a true man of the people hold a license for a dumper truck, a JCB and a TV.          
I live in England but my jeans are foreign and I have a cat and a summons from the local Library for an overdue book on Voyeurism in Popular Culture."

One thing you would have to say about Cliff was his attention to detail and if he were to prescribe his own demise
                "a leisurely lunch with like minded individuals, a glass or three of fine wine in the warming glow of the south African sun followed by a jaunt on a big kids motor toy in the tranquil setting of a Cape Town Vineyard"
would have been right up there………..it just came a few decades too early…. for all of us.         

Since that tragic event in South Africa I have received so many emails and phone call expressing shock and sadness, condolences and best wishes. Such great comments for a man that touched many lives and was always remembered by those he came into contact with. Comments like:          
"I was blown away by his knowledge, passion & definitely his vocabulary, what an amazing guy."         
"He was a total one off and the world is a much darker place without him"         
"He really made me want to learn and become the best I could possibly be, I am totally devastated".         
"He was such a lovely man".         
"Cliff was a fantastic character and the font of all knowledge he will be greatly missed by all who knew him".         
"An old school gent who I know will be sadly missed".         
          
The list goes on but the words are the same ……            
………….. a gentleman, passionate, intelligent, a one off, honest, professional, a nice guy who had time for everyone.        
          
The other thing people have shared are the memories, of which there where many here is one from an absent friend James who could not make it today;           
"Cliff was indeed a close friend, we had shared some great times together and many a skive in each others office. I would not have been able to do my job without him, especially the hung-over interviews. If ever I needed cheering up at the office I would go and pester him about random philosophy, music, wine, food, science, the army, discovery channel or any other subject to whittle away half an hour until my eyes focused again after the night before………..definitely not sport though. He reminded me of my old science teacher, Mr. Harker, we used to do the same thing to him, by the time he had finished answering our random questions such as, "Sir, why doesn't my dog speak English"? the bell had rung. I had told Cliff this, it amused him thoroughly.        
I must admit, there were more visits to Cliff''s office than mine, I did feel sorry for him sometimes, I can hear the words now:….."James, some of us have things to do here, I have lots to be getting on with dear boy!" My reply would be "yeah, whatever, where's the bottle opener?' I have many endearing memories of Cliff, one of which is wine tasting, the only man I know that can smell wine through his eye genius"          

Known within Living Ventures (work) as "the Major" or "The Colonel" Cliff, has definitely left his mark. He will be remembered for many things, a man who wouldn't let the fact that something was easy to solve get in the way of creating a truly complicated solution, as a result the world now has a new word - "Cliffiissims"             
Definition: The overcomplicating of a simple principal or application to the extent that the original premise of simplicity is generally accepted to have been an illusion.       
I am personally pushing to have it included in the Oxford dictionary …. Cliff would have liked that.          
One of the highlights of any gathering involving a DJ was of course Clifford's dancing….or at least his interpretation of it. I think we were all a little jealous of his free spirit and the blatant fun that he seemed to be having? In other words, we all wish we had the guts to do it. In this regard particularly it was evident to all that he had found his true soul mate in Helen who not only could keep up with him but could positively spur him on to greater feats of dance floor alternative interpretation, and of course his ability to pontificate in the most endearingly pompous manner was truly a pleasure to be on the other side of  …… most of the time.          
          
This is without a doubt one of the saddest moments in my life and I can only attempt to convey the depths of our feelings to Helen and Hannah, Cliff's son Hamilton, his mother Dee and his brothers Alistair and Andrew.          
          
What I can say is this, Cliff was a much loved and respected member of our team, a truly lovely, eccentric English gentleman who will be missed by everyone who new him…………….....a man whose departure has left the world a less colourful place.        
          
Tim Bacon          
8th February 2010