Barbara J. Clifford, 74 of Cedar Lake, IN formerly of Lansing, IL. passed away on Sunday, November 17, 2024. She is survived by her sons, Steven (Camille), Michael (Katie), and Jim Clifford; grandchildren, Ashton, Alyssa, Jake, and Luke; brother, Robert Smoter; nephew, Joe; niece, Brittany (Jeremy) and their children, Drayk, Dylan, Dallas, and Krew. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Helen Smoter; brother Walter Smoter.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, November 22, 2024 at 10:00 am at St. Maria Goretti Church, 500 Northgate Dr. Dyer, IN. Entombment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Calumet City, IL. Visitation will be on Thursday from 4:00-8:00 pm at Kish Funeral Home, 10000 Calumet Ave. Munster, IN and on Friday from 9:30-10:00 am at the church. In lieu of flowers, contribution to the Humane Society in her memory would be appreciated.

Barb/Grammy Barb/Aunt B was a sweet, kind person, who cared more about you and what was happening in your life than her own.  She loved her family, her friends, and her grandkids more than they’ll ever know as her “life started over when she met them.”  She loved nature, watching birds and squirrels (any animal really), a polka on Christmas morning, and, of course, putting her love into making her world-famous confetti cards. Bet you or someone you know received one…with a picture of you, most likely taken with her 1985 Kodak camera, glued onto a character on the card.

Her expectations for her three boys were simple and are illustrated in a goodbye message she spoke to one of her sons as she dropped him off at his first college class, “Do the best you can in your  studies, have fun playing football…and you better be a good person.”  Be a good, kind person.  That’s all. Well, mom, you kind of set the bar high in that department, but we’re trying. Barb’s family thanks you for being a special part of her life.  And she thanks you too.  Even now. Because she’s sprinkling down confetti from heaven on you as you read.

In the words of her grandsons as they gently make the sign of the cross on her forehead, “Dear God, bless my Grammy Barb.”