Clifford H. Tilton

Clifford H. "Sonny" Tilton, Jr. passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 18, 2021 after a long illness.

He was born in Freedom, NH, on April 12, 1932 to Clifford H. Tilton, Sr. and Leone E. Thurston. He attended Effingham Falls Grammar School; a one-room schoolhouse. He was a member of the last graduating class of Ossipee High School in 1950.

He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving in the U.S. Navy on-board the USS Jeffers as a cook. He was also a member of the National Grange.

Cliff had a lifelong regard for nature and he used the G.I. bill upon his return from the Navy to attended classes at the Thompson School of Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire. He enjoyed gardening, often reciting plants, trees and flowers by their Latin names, bird watching and watching the weather patterns in the clouds.

Sonny liked to recount fond memories of adventures with his cousins in the shadow of Green Mountain and the waters of Loon Lake in Freedom, NH. He also shared many loving memories of his time living with three generations at his grandparents' general store, which is now The Freedom Village Store, a New Hampshire State Landmark.

For 64 years he was married to Marylynn J. (Bean) whom he had met through his cousin, Ruth Thurston. Over the years they made their home and raised their family in Effingham, NH, Wolfeboro, NH, and Orlando, FL. They spent the last 51 years in Manchester, NH. He was heartbroken at Lynn's passing a few months ago.

Cliff worked 25 years at the former New Hampshire Insurance Company, Manchester, NH, as the food-service manager; a job he enjoyed and was well respected by management and employees.

He is survived by his five daughters, Sharon A. Tilton of Southampton, NJ, Susan E. Hannett and her husband, Rodney, of Haverhill, NH, Rebecca L. Anderson of FL, Heather L. Tilton Benoit and her husband, Michael, of Andover, NJ, Holly L. Fowler of Manchester, NH and his son Peter J. Tilton and his wife, Kathy DesRosiers, of San Diego, CA; 14 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren; his cousin, Lyle Thurston and his wife, Joey, of Effingham, NH; his brothers-in-law, Melvin D. Bean of Melvin Village, Edward A. Bean and his wife, Linda, of Melvin Village; a sister-in-law, Beverly A. Heuer and her husband, Ronald, of Melbourne, FL and several nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by his wife, Marylynn J. (Bean); his grandson, Shane M. Landry; his cousins, Barbara (Tilton) Spratt, Clyde F. Thurston, Kenneth Thurston, Janet (Thurston) Hartford and Ruth (Thurston) Knowles.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 54 Portsmouth St., Concord, NH 03301, forestsociety.org, or National Audubon Society at www.audubon.org.

The family would like to thank the staff of Cedar Healthcare Center and the staff of Beacon Hospice for his care the past few weeks and the caring staff of Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory. But most of all his family would like to thank the neighborhood families we have known since we were young and who have cared for our parents the last few years, it does indeed take a village.

A memorial service and internment at Lakeview Cemetery, Wolfeboro, NH will be held at a future date.