Rev. Dr. Jean Dalby Clift

1930 - 2020

Rev. Dr. Jean Dalby Clift The Rev. Dr. Jean Dalby Clift, perceptive counsellor, engaging author, and loving matriarch, passed away peacefully in her home in Olympia at age 89. She devoted her life to the meaning of love, God, and our place in the world, and helping fellow seekers find their path. Jean was born February 21, 1930 on a farm outside Naples, Texas, and moved to Austin at age 3. She entered the University of Texas, Austin at 16, where she earned bachelor's and law degrees. At 22, she became the only female attorney at the Houston law firm Baker, Botts, Andrews, Parish. There she met the love of her life, Wallace Bruce Clift. They got engaged on their third date and married January 23, 1954. Four years later they moved to California for Wallace to attend seminary. In Berkeley, Jean had children Anne and Lucy, audited classes, and started a prayer group. Son Bruce was born after they returned to Houston, where Jean dove deeper into prayer ministry. Jean and Wallace attended Agnes Sanford's School of Pastoral Care and began to explore the psychology of Carl Jung. In 1964, Jean and Wallace moved to Zurich, Switzerland to study at the C.G. Jung Institute, where Jean worked with analyst Marie-Louise von Franz. In 1966, they moved to Chicago, and then to Denver in 1969. At the University of Denver, Jean earned a Ph.D. focusing on literature and archetype. She co-founded the C. G. Jung Society of Colorado in 1976, and remained a trustee for decades. In 1975, she became the first non-Catholic Director of the Center for Religious Meaning at Loretto Heights College. She was a faculty advisor for its University Without Walls program and taught courses in religious studies and the humanities. In 1980, she was elected president of the American Academy of Religion, Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Region. Jean opened a counseling practice in 1980. She joined the American Association of Pastoral Counselors in 1982, and became the first lay person to achieve its highest rank of diplomate. She served as president of AAPC from 1994 to 1996. Inspired by the call to "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God" (Isaiah 40:1), Jean was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1988. Jean served on the diocese crisis response team, and helped revise clerical ethics guidelines for pastoral counseling. She was Canon Pastor at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John for ten years, then Canon Pastor Emeritus. Jean was an adjunct professor of Anglican studies until 2002, first at St. Thomas Seminary and then at Iliff School of Theology. In 2000, a scholarship fund for students in Iliff's Anglican Studies Program was endowed in recognition of Wallace and Jean Clift's contributions. Jean wrote five books, three with her husband (Symbols of Transformation in Dreams, The Hero Journey in Dreams, The Archetype of Pilgrimage). Her Core Images of the Self explored the use of early childhood experiences in counseling. The Mystery of Love and the Path of Prayer used personal stories to show how to live a life filled with love. Separately and with her husband, Jean gave lectures and workshops throughout the world, including Australia, Korea, Japan, Great Britain, and Poland. An adventurous spirit took them to all seven continents, 93 countries, and every state. In 2012 Jean and Wallace moved to Olympia to be close to family. Jean remained professionally active, contributing to an encyclopedia, counseling, and occasionally assisting with services at St. John's Episcopal Church of Olympia. Despite losing Wallace in 2018, Jean retained her humor, her interest in others, her love of family, and her faith in God. Jean is deeply missed by children Anne Clift Boris (and husband John) of Annandale, Virginia, Lucy Clifthorne (Michael) of Olympia, and Bruce Clift (Karin) of Scotts Valley, California; by grandchildren Sarah Clifthorne (Scott), Olympia, Evan Clifthorne (Alexandra), Seattle, Dylan Clifthorne (Rose), Olympia, David Boris, Portland, Oregon, Stephen Boris, Reston, Virginia, and Rachel Clift, Scotts Valley; and by great-grandchildren Emerson, Elliot, Edward Michael Clifthorne, Olympia, and Raenyn Clifthorne, Seattle. A memorial service will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church in Olympia, on March 14 at 3 pm. A burial of ashes at the Cathedral in Denver will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Wallace B. and Jean Dalby Clift Scholarship Fund at Iliff School of Theology in Denver (iliff.edu/give with "Clift Scholarship" in memo line), or to St. John's Episcopal Church, Olympia (stjohnsoly.org/).