Life Story for Clifford Matthew Buggs Jr.
Clifford Matthew Buggs, Jr. (Butch), 56, of Johns Creek, Georgia, passed away peacefully, Tuesday, August 13, 2019. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00am, Saturday, August 24, 2019, in Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 1620 Helena Street, Jacksonville, FL 32208, Pastor R.E. Herring, Sr., Officiant.
Clifford was born December 14, 1962, in Waycross, Georgia, to Clifford and Miriam (Sarjeant) Buggs. He was raised in Jacksonville, FL, where he graduated from Jean Ribault High School in 1980. He played trumpet for the Marching 100 at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL, and the Congo Band at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL.
In 1983, he joined the United States Coast Guard and was first stationed in Mobile, AL, where he met and married his wife, Lorna (Howard) Buggs. They raised three beautiful daughters together. He retired from the USCG after 24 years where he was known by many as the band director, Chief Buggs, in Cape May, NJ. During his time in Cape May, he was lead trumpet for the Carl Granieri Orchestra & Jersey Shore Pops where he was also music writer/arranger. He loved being involved in Friends of Jazz in the Cape May-Jazz Festival as well.
Clifford was a musician, mentor, teacher, fisherman, motorcyclist, video gamer, and roller blade-dancer extraordinaire. He touched so many lives with his loving, positive, playful, strong and encouraging energy. Music is what he truly lived for and he will always be remembered with a trumpet in his hands.
Clifford will be dearly missed by his three daughters, Courtney, Lia and Carol Buggs; his wife, Lorna (Howard) Buggs; two granddaughters, Lillian and Clara Hemmingway; his parents, Clifford and Miriam (Sarjeant) Buggs; his sister, Lorna Buggs; his brother, Terence Buggs; along with several uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Clifford was born December 14, 1962, in Waycross, Georgia, to Clifford and Miriam (Sarjeant) Buggs. He was raised in Jacksonville, FL, where he graduated from Jean Ribault High School in 1980. He played trumpet for the Marching 100 at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL, and the Congo Band at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL.
In 1983, he joined the United States Coast Guard and was first stationed in Mobile, AL, where he met and married his wife, Lorna (Howard) Buggs. They raised three beautiful daughters together. He retired from the USCG after 24 years where he was known by many as the band director, Chief Buggs, in Cape May, NJ. During his time in Cape May, he was lead trumpet for the Carl Granieri Orchestra & Jersey Shore Pops where he was also music writer/arranger. He loved being involved in Friends of Jazz in the Cape May-Jazz Festival as well.
Clifford was a musician, mentor, teacher, fisherman, motorcyclist, video gamer, and roller blade-dancer extraordinaire. He touched so many lives with his loving, positive, playful, strong and encouraging energy. Music is what he truly lived for and he will always be remembered with a trumpet in his hands.
Clifford will be dearly missed by his three daughters, Courtney, Lia and Carol Buggs; his wife, Lorna (Howard) Buggs; two granddaughters, Lillian and Clara Hemmingway; his parents, Clifford and Miriam (Sarjeant) Buggs; his sister, Lorna Buggs; his brother, Terence Buggs; along with several uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.