Obituary: Clinton E. Salisbury, 91, Retired South Kingstown Chief of Police

Chief Clinton E. Salisbury, 91, of Wakefield, passed away Wednesday. He was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (Browning) Salisbury for 69 years. He would have celebrated his 92 birthday on Friday.

Born in Wakefield, he was a son of the late Harold L. and Ina (Smith) Salisbury. He was a graduate of South Kingstown High School. He earned his BS degree from Roger Williams College and earned a Master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island.

Chief Salisbury was a Police Officer on the South Kingstown Police Department for 29 years, serving as Chief for his last 13 years, retiring in 1981. While on the police department, he became the first officer to achieve the rank of Lieutenant. He was a member of the University of Rhode Island Criminalistics Association, a member and past president of the Rhode Island Police Chief’s Association, the Fraternal Order of Police –Lodge # 33, and Hope Lodge # 25 AF&AM. He served as an instructor at the Rhode Island Crime Laboratory, and served two terms on the South Kingstown Town Council.

During World War II, he served honorably in the United States Army Air Corp. Besides his wife he is survived by three children, Clinton E. Salisbury and his wife Dawn of Wakefield, Kathleen Salisbury and her husband Clarence Nixon of Absecon, New Jersey, and Stephanie Hannan of Homosassa, Florida; three grandchildren, Brett, Aaron, and Zachary; and a great-granddaughter, Raynah.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 am Tuesday in St. Francis of Assisi Church, 114 High Street, Wakefield. Burial with military honors will follow in the Rhode Island Veteran Memorial Cemetery, Exeter. Visiting hours are at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia Street, Wakefield, Monday 3-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 1120 G Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.