John “Cliff” Oldfield
Commander DMORT 2
(June 12, 1946 - December 24, 2005)

I was a mere newcomer. Fresh on the team.
Unfamiliar, per se, with the DMORT routine.
Katrina blew in, and everything changed. We all would be needed.
It all seemed so strange.
We were told to “Stand By” so I packed up my gear.
I waited by the phone, the order to hear.
Confusion, frustration: When would they call?
If only someone could answer it all.
Then I found the web page. The page for team 2.
And a comforting man told me just what to do.
Each day he wrote something. Sometimes small, sometimes lots.
But never, not ever…he never forgot.
Each day this fine gentleman, regardless of heat, or workload, exhaustion….
He must have been beat…. But each day he wrote, he kept us all posted.
A labor of love, this journal he hosted.
When the call finally came, I bid family goodbye.
And as tears welled up in my family’s eyes,
I said: “Not to worry, you’ll be with me each day, just go to team 2’s site,
See what Cliff has to say.
He’ll make you feel better, he’ll keep you informed.
And he did, and like me, their hearts were so warmed.

I arrived in St. Gabriel, his biggest fan.
The first thing I asked: “Can I meet this great man?”
My memories of that day never will end
For on that day in October, I made a great friend.
I worked for a week under Commander Oldfield
I knew all along, that he was the “Real Deal”
We talked and we joked, I thanked him so much
For thinking of everyone…….keeping in touch.
When cliff shipped back home, I wrote him some lines
We said we’d exchange some e mail sometime.

That time never came, but I know as I write
He realized he’d touched so many lives.
Not often in life do we meet a great soul
Who gives of himself, no matter the toll.
Somewhere up above, there’s no crisis tonight
Cliff’s got it all handled, it’ll all be alright.
Next time I deploy, I’ll miss seeing this man
But, perhaps, the one thing he’s made me understand
Is that this is a team, regardless of rank, regardless of status, or what’s in the bank
And if you stand proud, and if you stand tall
In the end, that’s what matters.

Farewell Cliff……That’s all.

Dedicated to the memory of a friend of all too short a time.
What an impression you made on my entire family.

Troy Bastion, DMORT 7

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Donations in memory of John "Cliff" Oldfield may be made to:
NYSFDA Tribute Foundation for
Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
c/o New York State Funeral Directors Assn.
426 New Karner Rd
Albany, New York 12205

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Dear Kevin, the members of DMORT II, and members of other DMORT regions,

Our collective loss is great. We lost a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, an uncle, a friend, and a colleague. My brother's time with us was too short, obviously God has other plans for Cliff.

Cliff's professional life as a funeral director was one of dedication and compassion for people which brought him great satisfaction. Naturally, his work with DMORT flowed from that compassion and dedication. We talked of DMORT often and I followed along like so many of you through the Katrina updates. While Cliff was deployed in St. Gabriel, I discovered that other websites (non-DMORT) had linked to the DMORT II site to follow his blog and I emailed him to let him know. It should come as no big surprise then when I tell you he seemed surprised that anyone would do that. I don't think he knew the impact the updates were having on people and the connection he was providing for families and team members and to those who were simply just interested in the struggles you faced each day. Such a simple thing, yet it helped so many. That was the way Cliff did things, quietly with no thought of the outcome, he just did what he felt needed to be done. I know Cliff was always proud of his affiliation with DMORT and the tireless efforts of its members. You are the unsung heroes of disasters.

The outpouring of expressions of sympathy, kind words and the presence of the members of DMORT spoke volumes about Cliff and the way he touched your lives. I know he will be missed by so many. When we live our lives most of us only dream of leaving the world a better place; to make some kind of a lasting mark. It is apparent that Cliff left that lasting mark. I am glad so many of you had the opportunity to know Cliff and to work with him. I was always proud of my "big" brother and his work but when you read the poem written by Troy Bastion from DMORT VII, even though I was overcome with sorrow in the moment, I was even more proud of him. Thanks to the help of Bill Young, the Team Leader of DMORT VII, I was able to get in contact with Troy on Tuesday to thank him for his kind words.

Thank you again to all DMORT members for the kind words and your presence during such a difficult time. Our familiy appreciates everything you did. Together, we all will be struggling to find a way to deal with the loss of a life seemingly cut short. Together, we can honor Cliff's life if we only live the words from the Old Testament quoted by Deacon Rich, Anne's cousin, at the wake on Thursday afternoon, "to do mercy, to live justly and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). Please know the DMORT members will always hold a special place in my heart.

With warmest regards,

Regina Oldfield Puzzo

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