Clifford Ted Munson

Clifford Ted Munson, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother, passed away peacefully in his family home in St. George UT on Sunday, 22nd of March 2026. He was 84. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 62 years, Darla May Munson (Hancock). 

Clifford was born on August 26, 1941, son of Theodore Albert Munson and Mary Christine Munson (Sullivant), in San Bernardino, CA. Clifford spent his childhood and young adulthood in Colton, CA with his parents and three sisters. He enjoyed family trips, playing sports, especially baseball and tennis, and fishing with his dad. One of the highlights of his life was having the opportunity to play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA in 1954 with his teammates from Colton. He and his father traveled by train to PA and enjoyed all of the events, and the team finished in second place. Later in high school, he played varsity tennis all 4 years. During his early high school years, Clifford met his future wife, Darla Hancock, and they were together for the rest of their lives. After graduating from high school, Clifford and Darla were married on June 24, 1961.

Clifford attended San Bernardino Community College and California State Polytechnic University. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Management, while working full-time for the last two years of school. Clifford worked for Kaiser Steel in Fontana, CA for almost twenty years, before pursuing other engineering and human resource positions in The Dalles, OR, Oakbrook, IL, and finally, the Detroit, MI area. During his career, he worked for companies from the United States, Australia, and Mexico. He really enjoyed working with all the people he met along the way and developing new skills. But what gave Clifford the most fulfillment was spending time with his family. Cliff and Darla were blessed to have a son and two daughters and spent much of their free time camping in the western US. Annual summer trips to Idaho, Lake Palisades, and Yellowstone National Park were highlights each year. Cliff and Darla also enjoyed trips with their children and grandchildren, especially a family trip to Mackinac Island and later, to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with family in Island Park, ID and Yellowstone National Park. Another joy Clifford had in his life was woodworking, making furniture, clocks and other household decorative items. He loved planning, designing, and then building the projects in his many different workshops over the years. And finally, one of Cliff and Darla’s proudest achievements was the college graduation of each of their children and many grandchildren. They made it their legacy to encourage their children and grandchildren in all their endeavors, and to pass on this legacy to future generations. During his last two years of life, Clifford battled his cancer with dignity and grace, always staying positive in all of the challenges he faced.

Clifford is survived by his children – Connie Griffin (Dirk), Cliff Munson (Elise), and Lori Adair (Eric), 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his three sisters – Karen Brimhall (Gene), Jennifer Thornberry (Keith), and Kimberly Sutton (John). He will be sorely missed by all of us, but we are grateful to know that he is with Darla and all his loved ones again. His spirit and legacy will always be a part of our lives.