Clifford Craig Smith

Clifford Craig Smith, Age 70, originally of Sioux Falls, SD and Hopkins, MN, passed away on February 16, 2024. He attended Hopkins Eisenhower High School and upon graduation in 1972, indulged his love of recorded music by applying to the distribution center of Amos Heilicher's then-small chain of retail record stores known as Musicland. Cliff was a dedicated Musicland employee, becoming an aficionado of many types of music, especially garage rock and classic Country. His amazing memory meant that he could recite most of the Billboard Top 40 charts from 1966 - 1970, his favorite era of music. There wasn't a factoid he couldn't recall, including the release date of a long-forgotten Bob Dylan song or an obscure one-hit wonder. His time at Musicland allowed him to shake hands with numerous celebrities, including Carl Wilson, Mick Jagger, John Mellancamp, and Mitch Miller. In true "Cliff" fashion, he'd casually share the memories as if he'd only met a passerby. Without a doubt, one of Cliff's most notable traits was his memory. He could recall days in history as if it were yesterday. He knew how many weeks a song spent in the Top 10 charts and how cold it was on your birthday. He knew the exact date the Burger King opened in Hopkins (1971, if you're curious) along with the menu prices (50 cents for a Whopper, amazingly). Cliff loved attending trivia around the Twin Cities and touting his amazing mind. Cliff loved professional sports, though not necessarily Minnesota teams. The one notable exception was the Minnesota Twins. Cliff was a Twins fan through and through. No matter their record, he would faithfully tune in via television or radio. Athleticism and sports were in Cliff's blood. He served as a constant VIP on his recreational softball and bowling leagues. As a left-hander, there was no in-field position he couldn't master, including pitcher. His favorite way to spend time with his siblings was at Sunday bowling league. Cliff was gentle and kind, always there for his siblings and nieces and nephews. He could be counted on to be the devil's advocate about most anything, with steadfast assurance as to why his position was right. Cliff is survived by his siblings Mary Smith, Clay (Deb) Smith, Lorene Smith, Tracy (John) Brownrigg, and Teresa (Dave) Heider. Nieces and Nephews, Joseph Johnson, Jill (Sean) Sitek, Scott (Justyne) Smith, J.D. (Isaac) Brownrigg, Jacob Brownrigg, Robin Heider, and Jimmy Heider. He is preceded in death by wife Dora, siblings Matthew Smith and Celeste Johnson; nephew Daniel Johnson; parents David and Margaret Smith. Service Wednesday, February 21 at 11am, with visitation the hour preceding. Strobeck Johnson Hopkins Chapel, 1400 Main Street. Light reception to follow. Memorials may be directed to the Twins Community Fund or Reach for Resources

Tributes

Clifford Craig Smith

November 29, 1953 - February 16, 2024

Tributes

Clifford Craig Smith

November 29, 1953 - February 16, 2024

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