Clifford George Niederer

a long time resident of Bainbridge Island, died peacefully at his home in the Eagle Harbor Condominiums. He was surround by the love of son Cliff Niederer, Daughter-in-law, Mia Pearson and grandson Christopher Niederer.His life was not only long, but exceptionally rich and fortunate. Clifford was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 29, 1907. While a teenage he became devoted to music and as a young adult pursued a career in the music business as drum and marimba player. He worked in silent theaters and on the Mississippi river boats, as well as night clubs and with big bands. Although this career was fruitful and fun, by his mid twenties he was looking for a more secure and settled life. He left the music business and purchased, with family help, a newspaper circulation business in St. Louis. Still a restless young man, he sold the business and headed to Los Angeles in 1937. The fresh culture and warmth of southern California grabbed him immediate and to the dismay of his parents, he left St. Louis for good. In 1940 Clifford married his life long love, Dorothy Firman, also of St. Louis. During the war years they both worked on government projects in Alaska. After the war, with money earned working in Alaska, they returned to Los Angeles and purchased their first home. He worked for Chevron Oil in the bookkeeping department and took business and accounting classes at night. After a number of years with an insurance company he found his final and most satisfying career with the Internal Revenue Service. He finished his career with the Service reviewing corporate audits and retired in 1974. A new life began for himself and Dorothy using their free time to travel the world and take driving trips throughout the western states. This lead them to the Seattle area and to Bainbridge Island, where they purchased the condominium in 1979. They adjusted quickly to the Island life and made many friends. Dorothy passed in 2001, and while that loss was profound, Clifford managed to live independent until the last nine months of his life and continued to enjoy his many friends and even made a number of new ones. Clifford was a member of the Wing Point Golf and Country Club and a frequent participant in various coffee groups in the Town. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his only Son, Cliff and his wife Mia Pearson of Sonoma, grandsons Christopher of Memphis Tennessee and Jonathan of Sonoma and a great-granddaughter of North Carolina. He will be interred with his wife at Rose Hills in Southern California. A memorial service is planned for later in the year.