Clifford Poppens

Dr. Clifford Alan Poppens, 65, of Cadiz, Ky, passed away suddenly Friday, Oct. 9, 2015, at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. He was the eldest of three children born to the late Harold William and Sarah Ann Poppens.

Cliff grew up on a farm in Beresford, SD, and took the love of the land and of plants and animals with him throughout his life. He desired to be a veterinarian, but was allergic to animals, so he directed his strong work ethic and generous spirit into becoming a physician.

He began his medical education at the University of South Dakota before attending medical school at Tufts University in Boston. He completed his residency training at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, eventually becoming Chief Resident of Medicine.

He served in the Army and was stationed at Fort Campbell, where he was set up on a blind date with Faye, a young nurse from Oak Grove, Ky. They settled down in Owensboro, where he practiced medicine for 25 years. He had a reputation as a skilled diagnostician and cared deeply for his patients.

Yet his success as a physician could not match the joy he felt as a father and grandfather. He was always a large presence in the lives of his family and encouraged his children to explore the world. Well into his forties, he overcame his lifelong fear of water so that he could join them scuba diving. He was an avid reader, snow skier, and never lost his love of the outdoors, eventually retiring to a farm of his own in Cadiz, Ky.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Faye Pace Poppens; his children, Sarah Borenstein (Adam) of Atlanta, Emily Poppens (Clay McDaniel) of Atlanta, and Alan Poppens (Meredith) of Vancouver, WA; siblings Heidi Hotchkiss-Malkin of St Augustine, FL, and Marcy Parker of Chapel Hill, NC; grandchildren Henry Borenstein, Jack Borenstein, Samuel Borenstein, Merritt McDaniel, and Townes McDaniel; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 7pm Monday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory. Visitation is from 4 to 7pm Monday.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Audubon Society or to Saving Paws Animal Rescue.

Online Condolences may be left at www.glennfuneralhome.com