Obituary of James Burke Clifford

James Burke Clifford, 54, passed away on Friday, May 19, 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Christine of 12 years, his sons Kevin James and Brian Sean and their mother Patricia Clarke of Tinton Falls, his parents Orrin Benjamin (O.B.) and Nancy of Amherst, MA, his mother-in-law Catherine and father-in-law Gerald Herbster of Basking Ridge, his sister Linda Hadley (Bill), his brother-in-law Bill Herbster(Anne), his niece Meredith and nephews Matthew, Andrew, Alex, and Ben. James, known to many as Cliff, was born in Flemington, NJ. Hegraduated Ridge High School in 1981 and went on to receive his Bachelors degree from Springfield College in Springfield Massachusetts. Cliff enjoyed a successful career in the paper industry for nearly 30 years where he forged many lasting relationships. Most recently Cliff was a real estate broker for Sotheby's in Madison, NJ. Cliff was larger than life and a friend to all that met him. He started up conversations everywhere he went and had a genuine interest in connecting with others. Everywhere he went, people knew his name. His passion for sports was especially evident in his dedication to the Boston Red Sox and New York Giants. He and his wife Christine enjoyed season tickets to the Giants where they spent many a game tailgating with friends. Visitation will be at Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home, 101 S. Finley Ave,Basking Ridge on Tuesday, May 23rd 2017 from 4-6pm. Service will follow at 6:00pm. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Jimmy Fund or the Overlook Foundation. For further information, or to light an online condolence candle please visit www.gcfuneralhome.com.