Benton "Sonny" F. Clifton, 87, of Raleigh, passed away on June 29. He was born in Oxford, NC on January 26, 1932 to the late Benton Clifton and Marian Burton Clifton. He attended Raleigh schools, Murphy and Hugh Morson High. In 1955 he graduated from UNC in education and began a career as a teacher, coach and administrator in NC and Florida. In 1955 he coached football, basketball and baseball at Millbrook High School. During his tenure he had an undefeated team in football. This same year his basketball and baseball teams won conference championships, all without the aid of assistant coaches. In 1959, he left Millbrook and was the head basketball and tennis coach at Titusville HS in Florida. His team won the Sun Coast Conference basketball title, with assistant coach, Leonard Skinner. Coach Skinner became the namesake for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. In 1961 he moved into school administration, returning to Millbrook as assistant principal. He moved again to florida in 1964, serving as supervisor of public schools in Flagler County Florida until 1967. The state of Florida then hired him as Director of Health and Physical Education, a post he held for 13 years. He was selected during this time to the State of Florida Honor Roll. Sonny also worked in Washington DC as assistant executive secretary of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Alliance, and also completed three consulting assignments for the World Health Organization. Returning to Raleigh in 1979, he chaired the Board of Trustees of the NC Health Plan. he was awarded the state of North Carolina's highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Sonny and his wife, Shirley, established a charitable annuity at the NC Cancer Hospital and feel blessed they have been able to contribute to a cause they wholeheartedly support. After retirement, he opened Farm and Ranch and operated it for a couple of years before selling to Firestone. Always looking for another project, he developed Neuse Banks subdivision on Ligon Mill Road in Raleigh. Through the  years. He has maintained a close relationship with his friends at Millbrook HS, saying "I was at the right place at the right time with the right people". Sonny is survived by his wife of 63 years, Shirly Massey Clifton; his brother, Dr. Ronald Clifton and wife, Gwili, of Daytona Beach, FL; his sister-in-law, Frances Beverly; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Wednesday, July 3 at Montlawn Funeral Home 2911 S. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27603.  The family will receive visitors from 1:00 to 2:00 pm before the service. Burial will follow in the Montlawn Memorial Park.