Clifford Mansfield

Clifford Allan Mansfield
June 5, 1927-February 24, 2019
Clifford Allan Mansfield was born June 5, 1927, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the only child of
Emma and Allan Mansfield. He spent his earliest years living on a farm in nearby
Mechanicsville, before moving to Long Branch, New Jersey.
Cliff graduated from Long Branch High School in 1944 and was soon drafted into the Army. It
was while Cliff was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, that Sgt. Mansfield met and married Marie
Dowdell. It was also at Fort Riley in October 1949 that Cliff contracted polio. He spent eight
months at Brooke Army Hospital in San San Antonio, Texas, regaining all but the use of his legs
during what was a slow and painful recovery. Unlike many of his fellow polio patients, Cliff never
gave up. He battled back and in 1950 brought his young family to California where he was
enrolled at UCLA. Cliff graduated in 1955 with a degree in Accounting, and always remained a
proud Bruin.
Cliff began a long and distinguished career working for the County of Los Angeles. He was
known to be a man of the highest integrity and ability and was held in the highest regard by his
his friends and colleagues. He rose through the ranks to become the Chief Accountant for the
County and he served as a member and chairman of the Statewide Accounting Chiefs Assn.
After retirement in 1988 Cliff remained active as a consultant and volunteering as a member of
the Special Review Committee of the Government Finance Officers Assn. He also volunteered
his time in the community, including with United Way of Los Angeles and as a member of the
Citizens Oversight Committee for LAUSD’s first successful school bond measure.
Cliff’s wife Marie died in 1968, and in 1971 he married Cecelia Cutright. Cliff and Cecelia were
married at Westwood Hills Christian Church, where Cliff was a member from his student days at
UCLA and they remained active members. Together they have is five sons. Cliff is survived by
Sterling (Lynda), Stephen (Janey), Jeffrey (Jan), Andrew (Blythe) and Guy (Yoko), five
grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
He loved Cecelia and his family. He loved his church. He enjoyed traveling while he was able.
He was an avid Dodger fan and he always enjoyed watching the Bruins play, especially
basketball games at Pauley Pavillion. Cliff is remembered as a gentle, kind and generous man.
He handled adversity with grace, embraced difficulty without bitterness and overcame obstacles
without anger.