Robert Douglas Antcliff

Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Robert Douglas Antcliff (84) of El Paso, Texas passed away peacefully on January 5, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. Dad was born on August 4, 1940 to Kenneth and Nellie Antcliff in Bay City, Michigan and attended St. James Catholic School. He was very proud to be chosen as Captain of the Safety Patrol in the 7th grade which was where he first met the love of his life Maryann Marie (Krause) Antcliff (Mom). He attended one year of college in Bay City and then joined the United States Army in 1959. The Army promptly sent him to Germany. When he returned in 1962, he married Mom (Deceased November 24, 1994) and they immediately moved to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. Dad served two unaccompanied tours – 15 months in Viet Nam and 12 months in Korea. During the 1960’s Dad began skydiving recording more than 1000 jumps and freefall skydives. The Army moved Dad and his family 18 times over the next 30 years to a variety of locations including bases in Virginia, Maryland, and multiple bases all over southern Germany. In 1978 Dad was assigned to Class 12 of the U.S. Army’s Sergeants Major Academy on Biggs Field here in El Paso. After finishing with his class at the Academy, he was asked to stay on as the only enlisted Company Commander (SS&F Co., USASMA) in the entire U.S. Army. Following that tour, he was promoted to Command Sergeant Major in 1982 and the family was sent back to Germany. Dad and Mom loved El Paso and retired here in 1989. After Mom passed away in 1994 Dad was certain he would never find love again – but, for once, he was wrong. He began dating Mary Ellen Haggerty in September 2007 and they fell in love, which lasted the rest of his life. Our family is incredibly grateful for the love Mary Ellen brought not only to Dad, but to our entire family. Our parents created a very loving family consisting of three sons and one daughter. Christopher Antcliff (Linda), Douglas Antcliff (Nancy), Kenneth Antcliff (Debbie), and Jennifer Marie Hollingsworth. He is survived by 14 grandchildren: Lauren Simpson, Matthew Antcliff, Katherine Antcliff, Tyler Antcliff, Rachael Baber, Becca Widen, Logan Antcliff, Morgan Colombi, Kelsey Bartruff, Mari Antcliff, Caleb Antcliff, Heather Antcliff, Robert Hollingsworth and Mary Ann Hollingsworth; and 17 great grandchildren: Jacob Antcliff, Levi Antcliff, Abigail Antcliff, Aaron Antcliff, Anna Joy Antcliff, Judah Baber, Josie Widen, Lainey Widen, Maisie Widen, Julia Owens, Stella Colombi, Cora Colombi, Luna Bartruff, Lennon Bartruff, Zain Ortega, Luke Hollingsworth and Austin Hollingsworth. Dad is survived by all of the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren identified above as well as his sister Carol Vitztum (George) and was preceded in death by our beloved mother Mary Ann Marie Antcliff, his parents Kenneth and Nellie Antcliff and his most recent great granddaughter Leah Hope Antcliff.

Visitation will be from 5;00 pm to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at Sunset Funeral Home – Northeast, 4631 Hondo Pass with a Rosary at 6:00 pm. Funeral Mass will be at 9:30 am on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church with a Committal Service to follow at 11:00 am at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson.

In lieu of flowers, our family requests that donations be made to the Fisher House

Foundation in honor of CSM (Ret) Robert D. Antcliff.

https://connect.fisherhouse.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donate.event&eventID=1