Gregory Paul Radcliff

Gregory Paul Radcliff was born on February 7, 1956, in Mobile, Alabama. Greg spent much of his childhood with his beloved parents in Alabama. As a teenager, they moved to Panama City, Florida, where he thrived during his time at Rutherford High School and cultivated many lifelong friends. Go Rams! Greg graduated from Gulf Coast Community College and then the University of West Florida, where he received a journalism degree, before receiving his MBA at the University of South Alabama. In college, he met and fell in love with the woman who would become his partner in life, Jeannie Vickrey Radcliff. The couple married in 1979, and recently celebrated 45 years of marriage this past June.

Greg was a man of strong values, the invaluable gift of maintaining lifelong friendships, and the amazing ability to accurately remember minute details from the past. He often shared that there were four values that he held above all others, in this order:

1. God

2. Family

3. Work

4. Fun

God

The foundation of Greg’s life was built on his love of God and his dedication to the Christian faith. Being a man of God fueled and inspired everything else in his life. Greg wasn't just dedicated to maintaining his faith, but also to growing and strengthening it. He was always excited to share his faith with others, and was known as a spiritual leader among friends and family. Upon retirement, Greg started a divinity degree at Dallas Theological Seminary. When they moved back to Tennessee, Greg and Jeannie began attending Harvest Church in Germantown. There, Greg went through the church's spiritual leadership program, Downline, and graduated in May 2024.

Family

Greg's love for and dedication to his family was evident to everyone who knew him. His wife, Jeannie, and twin daughters, Bethany and Jordan, were the lights of his life.

Greg is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jeannie Radcliff; his daughter, Bethany Radcliff; sister, Susan Radcliff Kennedy; step-brother, Ted Beville; nieces, Lindsay Buchanan and Blythe Buchanan (Linda Stevenson); great-nieces, Samantha and Carson Buchanan; his brother in-laws, C.B. Vickrey (Christy Vickrey) and David Vickrey (Gary Ensaña); niece, Carson Vickrey; nephew, Colin Vickrey (Samantha Vickrey); and great-niece, Grace Vickrey.

Greg is preceded in death by his daughter, Jordan Radcliff; parents, Howard and Alice (Nita) Radcliff; sister, Anne Beville; brother, Terrell Radcliff; and step-sister, Marja Cooper.

Work

One of Greg’s joys in life was providing for his family through his dedication to his career and his gift of leadership. Greg worked many jobs before beginning his long-term career, from working at the Red Snapper at Panama City Beach, to working for a night cleaning service, to becoming the assistant coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of South Alabama.

His pinnacle career success began when he landed at State Farm Insurance in 1983, a choice that would lead to a 35 year career that impacted not just Greg and his family but countless others. Greg started with State Farm in Brandon, Florida as an insurance agent. He later worked in management in Louisville, KY, and Knoxville, TN. Greg did another stint as an agent in Savannah, TN, before going back into management in Lufkin, TX, and then Arlington, TX. Greg’s time at State Farm was marked by the impression he made as a strong leader and beloved mentor, leaving a legacy that many will remember. If you ask anyone at State Farm about Greg Radcliff, there’s a chance they personally knew him or have heard of him.

Greg retired from State Farm in 2018 due to complications from AL Amyloidosis. However, retirement could not put a stop to his work ethic and Greg continued to stay busy with other projects, despite his health problems. He started a consulting business for State Farm agents and enjoyed managing projects for a local home builder. Greg got so much joy from work and, more than that, truly loved helping others as a servant leader.

Fun

In his free time, Greg enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and, as a recognized night owl, was known for his nighttime phone calls with close friends. He loved to travel and didn’t hesitate to take a road trip, nearly always choosing to drive at night. He enjoyed traveling in the U.S., especially back to his home towns of Mobile and Panama City. He had especially fond memories of traveling with family and friends on State Farm trips around the world.

He also loved sports and fitness, and grew up playing basketball. He had a lifelong love of golf and enjoyed visiting golf courses and taking golf trips with friends. In retirement, Greg discovered his love of shopping (or maybe just getting good deals) and could often be found at Home Goods, Costco, or Nordstrom Rack. One of Greg’s other lifelong passions was art. He collected art, focused mostly on pottery, but also paintings and photographs. Greg could often be found listening to his favorite music, and loved singing—he even once sang on stage with The Temptations.

This obituary paints only a half picture of the incredibly detailed person Greg Radcliff was and the impact he had on so many people. His legacy will live on through his family and friends, and the memories they shared.

Greg would want everyone to remember him with one of his favorite Bible verses, 2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Greg’s favorite charity. You can donate here:

https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=7709546&fr_id=154020&pg=personal