Clifford G. Muddell, D.V.M.

Clifford George Muddell, DVM, beloved veterinarian serving the Clifton, NJ area for nearly 30 years, known by generations of clients as "Dr. Cliff" and best recognized for his distinguished locks of “platinum” grey hair, passed away on July 2, 2026, at the age of 84. Born on November 25, 1941, he was a lifelong New Jersey resident whose life was marked by devoted service to his community, his profession, and his faith.

Dr. Muddell graduated from Madison High School in Madison, NJ, Class of 1959, before attending Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where he earned his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in June 1965. He completed a small animal clinical medical and surgical internship at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, MA — a program that was interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Serving as Lieutenant and later Captain, he completed his tour of duty at Fort Detrick in Frederick, MD, in a research and development role, and was honorably discharged in May 1968.

He went on to build a distinguished 33-year career in veterinary medicine, beginning as an associate veterinarian in Sea Girt, NJ, before joining Foster Animal Hospital, a private small animal practice in Clifton, NJ. He assumed ownership of that practice in 1982 and continued to operate it until selling it in April 1998, retiring completely from active practice three years later.

A true pioneer in his field, Dr. Muddell was a founding partner of the Emergency Veterinary Clinic in West Caldwell, NJ, which opened in 1977 as the first emergency veterinary clinic in the state of New Jersey. It was Dr. Muddell who mapped the geographic center of the veterinary population of northern New Jersey to identify the clinic's location, and he served on its founding five-member board of directors alongside 36 fellow shareholding veterinarians. The clinic's model — providing round-the-clock emergency stabilization while referring animals back to their family veterinarians for follow-up care — reshaped how emergency pet care was delivered across the region.

Throughout his career, Dr. Muddell was deeply engaged in organized veterinary medicine. He served as Chair of the Ethics and Grievance Committee of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association (NJVMA) and later became its president. He represented New Jersey at the national level as a delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for six years, and was a charter member of the Domestic Companion Animal Council of NJ, where he served as Chair of Advertising. He was also a frequent contributor to the "What Is Your Diagnosis?" feature in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA).

A man of deep faith, Dr. Muddell was raised Presbyterian, but converted to Catholicism through the RCIA program in the 1980s with the support of his wife, Nancy. He was a longtime member of the choir at Saint Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton, serving as Eucharistic Minister and singing in the choir for as long as he was able. He was an avid golfer who played all over the Tri-State area and traveled to courses from Bandon Dunes in Oregon to Saint Andrews in Scotland. He was a devoted sports fan — a New York Baseball Giants fan from childhood, he also became a passionate follower of the New York Yankees, and in the 1980s and 1990s, attended nearly all of the New York Football Giants games at the Meadowlands.

Dr. Muddell is survived by his wife of 53 years, Nancy Maurer Muddell; his three children, Gregory Muddell of Flowery Branch, GA, Jeffrey Muddell (Stephanie) of Sanibel, FL, and Jessica Kunath (William) of Clifton, NJ; and his grandchildren, Caroline, Charles, Grant and Quinn; along with his brother Bruce Muddell of Bridgewater, NJ, sister Lynn Hahn of Port Saint Lucie, FL, extended family and many friends.

Arrangements are by Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013. A memorial Mass will be held on Wednesday, November 25, 2026 at 11:30 am at St. Philip the Apostle R.C. Church, 797 Valley Road, Clifton, NJ 07013. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the NJ Veterinary Foundation through the NJ Veterinary Medical Association website using the following link  

https://njvma.site-ym.com/donations/donate.asp?id=18521

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