FALMOUTH – A candle burned day and night in the window of Arlene Clifford’s home in remembrance of 9/11, the New York City firemen whose lives were lost, and her hardest and most meaningful service with the American Red Cross.

Her 50-odd years of volunteering with the Red Cross started in high school and took her as a Presidential Disaster Volunteer to Midwest floods, California earthquakes, southern tornadoes, Maine ice storms and eventually to New York City, N.Y. where her efficiency, effectiveness and empathy helped volunteers and victims alike.

Ahead of her times, she was fiercely independent. With razor sharp intellect, Arlene easily took command of the medical offices she managed in Burlington, Vt. and Waterville and Portland. While at Eye Care Surgery Center in Portland, she was dedicated to bringing a unique quality to practice administration focusing on excellent patient care. While there, she helped set up the first free-standing surgical center in Maine.

She was a member of the National Medical Group Managers Association, Maine Medical Practice Management Association and on the Advisory Board for the Medical Assistant Program at Westbrook College. She was certified in Administration and Clinical Skills by the American Association of Medical Assistants. After retirement she started Better Practice Management Consultancy helping many young doctors set up their first practices. If Arlene was involved, it was done right. After full retirement, she moved to Seal Beach, Calif. and traveled extensively throughout the world.

But to her many close friends, Arlene was much more than a professional woman, life-time volunteer or world traveler. She was a woman you would never forget. To the end, you could count on her for great conversations whether literature, politics, sports or anything else. Not afraid to have an opinion, she was nevertheless open to considering alternatives. It was her dream to see a woman President and although that dream didn’t come true, she stayed involved in community and local politics as well as national. Nothing held her back from sending a well-crafted letter voicing her opinions.

As a lifelong learner, the digital world kept her intrigued and fascinated. Whether it was the latest book on her Kindle or sports updates for her favorite teams, she had the latest gadget and it wasn’t unusual to ask for help posting a favorite picture on Facebook, tweaking her new phone settings or fine-tuning the app to turn on lights and open her garage door.

Arlene was born in Unity, Oct. 7, 1925, youngest daughter of Izora and Bert W. Clifford, and died on Jan. 17, 2024 at her cottage at Ocean View. She liked to say she was a sickly child, not long for this world and certainly not able to attend college. But she fooled everyone when she earned her Stenography Diploma from Husson in 1944 and was still around to be inducted into the 2017 Husson University Hall of Fame. Her commitment to good food, regular exercise and a CC and water at 5 p.m. every night, rewarded her with a long, full life.

Arlene is survived by her son, Stephen Low; and her niece, Coral-Jeanne Clifford O’Connor; and many, many lifelong friends of every generation.

All who knew Arlene knows she would much prefer a donation to American Red Cross than flowers…though she did love flowers. So, brighten your day with a bouquet for yourself,

light a candle at 5 p.m.

and raise a toast to Arlene and a life well lived!

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