Bernadine Hilda Pingel Clifford

It is with much sadness that the family of Bernadine Hilda Clifford, 92, commonly known as "Bernie," announces her passing on Friday, December 26, 2025 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Demorest, Georgia. She was born to the late Bernard Michael Pingel and the late Blanch Petty Pingel on September 14, 1933 in Covington, Kentucky. She graduated with honors from Notre Dame Academy in Covington in 1952. She married the love of her life, Mickey, the same year on July 5.

Bernie was brilliant beyond her years as she used her skills and talents to navigate her and Mickey’s way through a long, healthy, productive, and prosperous life. As the heart and soul of the family, she was many things: a designer, artist, clothes maker, successful business owner, good cook, house plan designer, great listener and deep thinker, but especially an active, concerned and caring mom. In her early mom life, she and Mickey enjoyed traveling and the great outdoors, with camping for recreation. They ambitiously designed and built their first camping trailer in 1963 with enough room to comfortably sleep the entire family of eight. Bernie was the engineer and accountant while Mickey supplied the brawn. The camper was hugely successful and appropriately named "The Gypsy Hilton," and the first of many campers. They enjoyed camping throughout most of their lives. Later in life, they loved to see the country by train and paddlewheel river boats. In 1985, she and Mickey moved to Lakemont from Bradenton, Florida, and in1986, she owned and operated a fabric shop appropriately named "Clifford’s Cloth Barn," eventually moving the business to Clayton where it continued to enjoy success. She was known to use her many talents in passion plays at a local church as a key member of the costumes and make-up group. She enjoyed gardening and growing herbs. Sewing was second nature to her, and she enjoyed creating costumes for her and Mickey to wear to functions at the Rabun County Senior Center. Hers was a life well lived.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Michael (Mickey) Clifford in 2020. Bernie was also preceded in death by her sister Betty Pingel Bresser; son-in-law Johnny Amrine; granddaughters, Kelly Cook Ramey and Amanda Clifford. She is survived by her children: Janet Smith (Al) of Tiger; Vicki Spencer of Clayton; M. Ray Clifford (Joann) of Demorest; Judy Macy (Mark) of Tampa, Florida; Bob Clifford (Jeri) of Clayton; and Carol Amrine of Clayton. She also leaves behind eleven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Hunter Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Bernadine Hilda Clifford.