Joseph Patrick Clifford

Joseph Clifford passed from this life to his next on Sunday, March 30th, peacefully in his sleep, having spent the day with his loved ones.  The final whistle blew on Joe’s battle with many ailments, most notably lung cancer, a stroke and heart attack. Joe is preceded in death by his wife of over 58 years Germaine, his parents William and Mary, and his brother Thomas (Carol).

The Coach is survived by his sons Michael (Paige) and Daniel (Melissa) and his brother William (Colette).  Joe was a very proud grandfather to Timothy (Mary Kate), Andrew, Matthew, Maureen, Connor, Kiera and Morgan (along with Dan’s Husky’s Bucky and Gatsby too!).   Joe was also a great grandfather to Steven Patrick!  Joe was a brother-in law to Marie Buff (Jerry) and Bernadine Blasé; and Uncle and Great Uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Joe grew up in Watertown, Wisconsin and graduated high school from St. Thomas Academy in Minnesota.  He earned his teaching degree at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he also played football.  After a seven year courtship, Joe married his high school sweetheart, Germaine, in December of 1963.  In 1963, upon Joe’s graduation from UW-LaCrosse, they moved to the Lake Geneva area, where Joe began coaching and teaching physical education for Walworth Co.  Joe transitioned to teaching at Badger High School in 1965.  He coached numerous sports at Badger for 58 years, including tenures as Head Coach for Football, Track and Field, Boy’s Gymnastics and Wrestling.  Joe touched and impacted the lives of thousands of student athletes over those years!

As if coaching wasn’t enough of a full-time (and then some) job, Joe managed to keep himself very busy in any spare time as well.  Joe was one of the managers at the “Top Deck” (The Riviera) until it closed on New Years in 1979. Following that, he ran the Lake Geneva City Beach for 42 years.  (Remaining at The Riviera.  He loved the place so much that he couldn’t stray far from it!)  He was a snow ski instructor at Majestic Hills until it closed and then instructed at Grand Geneva.  After retiring from teaching and his Athletic Director position (but not from coaching), Joe found some “free time” in the spring and fall.  He picked up being a golf ranger at Abbey Springs.  If you happen to remember the Lake Geneva Raceway, Joe worked there as everyone’s favorite bartender.  Joe also rented boats and sold worms for fishing, at Van Dyke’s boat and bait shop, over half a century ago!

While Joe’s schedule kept him on the move, he never strayed from the two things that mattered most to him in life: his faith and his family.  Joe had been an active member of St. Francis de Sales Parish since moving to Lake Geneva in 1963 and was a fixture at daily mass for decades.  Family was equally as important to Joe, and he included Germaine and his two sons in his many coaching obligations at Badger, making sure that family was always the central part of his life.  Badger High was the second home for the Clifford family.

Joe’s coaching exterior may have exuded a hard-core impression, but Joe was all about enjoying life and having a good time wherever that might be.  Ultimately, his passion included following the activities and careers of the grandchildren he adored!  He and Germaine could be seen at almost every one of their endeavors.  In addition, Joe always enjoyed attending collegiate sporting events, snow skiing, scuba diving (a little), fishing in northern Wisconsin, music concerts and traveling.

Joe and Germaine both loved Lake Geneva and the Badger High community!  They were stewards for Lake Geneva in any manner possible and could be seen at countless Badger events.  Joe often commented on the beauty of Lake Geneva, and how lucky he was to have had the chance to spend his life here.  Blessed and fortunate was how Joe viewed his life.  He absolutely enjoyed life to the fullest!

When Joe became the Head Track and Field Coach in 1967 (Southern Lakes Conference Champions), the school had 120 yards of a straight away cinder track, with pylon cones around the Jonas football field, to make up the quarter mile track.  Yes, the athletes ran on the grass!  The landing pit for the pole vaulters and high jumpers consisted of a big net filled with scrap pieces of foam rubber, sitting on top of old rubber tires!  Every athlete from that era would tell you that it was a “tougher” grade of kid back then…and they still stand by that today!!

The last act for a man who has given so much of his life to Badger High School should be to give back, one last time, to the place that he loved so much and put so much effort into building!  The stories are many and Coach Joe plays a part in most of them!!  It is in this spirit of supporting the Lake Geneva community and Badger High School, that Joe’s family makes this request:

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Badger High School Athletic Department in honor of Coach Joe.

However, if you are “old school” you can send a check, made out to the Badger High School Athletic Department;

Badger HS Athletic Department

c/o Jim Kluge, AD

220 E. South St.

Lake Geneva, WI 53147

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 25th, from 4-8 PM, at Derrick Funeral Home in Lake Geneva.

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Saturday, April 26th, at 11:45 AM at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Geneva.

Burial service will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lake Geneva.

A luncheon for Joe, to celebrate his life, will be held on Saturday April 26th, from 2-6 PM, at the Badger High School Main Gymnasium/Union.

So, if you find yourself strolling the beach in heaven one day, look for the man at the far gate, wearing a floppy hat.  You’ll be addressed as “my son” or “my dear”, and not by your real name.  That will be Big Joe!  Just make sure there is no glass in your cooler, and you have your beach tag if you’re a Local!!

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Derrick Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the Clifford family