Dorothy Clifford

Published 12:20 am Saturday, September 27, 2014

Dorothy Clifford

Dorothy Clifford of Tallahassee died shortly after sunrise on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014, at her home, with her two daughters by her bedside.
Clifford had worked at the Tallahassee Democrat from 1959 until her retirement in 2001. She began her career as assistant women’s editor and became the paper’s women’s editor in 1961. In 1962 the paper was awarded the best women’s section among small daily newspapers.
For decades she was the paper’s social historian. She wrote the Democrat’s weekly “Capital Scene” column, a roundup of parties, gatherings and events of those who attended.
Clifford was a native of Kingsport, Tenn., the youngest of eight children. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Agnes Scott College and later attended the University of Tennessee.
Her journalism career began with the Kingsport Times-News covering the police and courts beat in addition to women’s events. She went on to work in Savannah where she covered city government and schools in addition to women’s events.
In 1957 she married Gordon Clifford, who preceded her in death in 2005. The couple had one son, Wiley; and two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary Gordon.
One of her daughters is Elizabeth Simmons, wife of Ramsey Simmons and daughter-in-law of Ramsey and Peggy Simmons of Bainbridge.
Funeral services for Clifford will be held Saturday, Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Anglican Church on Thomasville Road, Tallahassee.