Baldwin native, World Trade Center survivor, Clifton Palm, 81

Baldwin native and alum Clifton S. Palm made an impact on his community through his steadfast acts of service and a unique talent for distinguishing authenticity.

Palm died on March 21 at Meadowbrook Care Center in Freeport. He was 81.

Born in Mount Vernon in 1942, he moved with his family to Levittown briefly before settling in Baldwin in 1953. He attended Plaza School and Baldwin Junior High before graduating from Baldwin High School in 1961. Throughout his life, Palm remained a dedicated resident of Baldwin, actively engaging in various community endeavors.

During his youth, Palm participated in several little league teams, Boy Scouts Troop 211, and high school stamp and chess clubs. He had a passion for fishing and collecting fish for his tanks, often venturing to the Freeport reservoir. One memorable incident involved inadvertently catching a snapping turtle that devoured his other fish.

After completing two years at SUNY Farmingdale, Palm was drafted and served overseas in Germany with the military police. Upon his return, he embarked on a career with the U.S. Treasury’s Customs Department as a chemist, specializing in certifying imported goods. His expertise earned him recognition as an esteemed expert witness, particularly renowned for identifying counterfeit perfumes by scent. His reputation was so esteemed that Customs teams nationwide expressed their gratitude with holiday cards.

Palm dedicated his evenings to coaching the Baldwin Little League team in the 1950s, instilling values of teamwork and sportsmanship in young players on the neighborhood diamond.

Despite experiencing the 1993 and 2001 World Trade Center attacks while working for the treasury department, Palm remained resilient. He cherished traveling in his younger years and continued his hobbies of collecting stamps, toy fire trucks, and antiques until his passing. He also had an acute sense of smell; Palm possessed an unparalleled ability to detect counterfeit perfumes with precision.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Palm’s commitment to his hometown endeared him to many, leaving behind a legacy of integrity and service that will be warmly remembered by all who knew him.

“He lived a life of straightforward dedication,” Berkeley Sanders remarked, “and served his nation with pride.”