A man who lived with hope, humor, and a heart full of adventure.
John Paul Clift, lovingly known as Jack—or "Action Jackson"—was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on August 22, 1957, and passed away peacefully in Everett, Washington, on October 13, 2025.
Jack was the beloved son of Paul Roland Clift and Janice Francis Clift (Gosciminski), and the proud brother of Mary Johnson, Paul Clift, Steve Clift, and David Clift. He was a devoted father to John Paul Clift, Jessica Clift, and Joseph Clift; a loving father-in-law to Erika Venegas; and a cherished grandfather to Jordan Orwiler, Daniella Clift, and Alan Venegas.
Jack attended Bishop Hendricken Catholic High school. Rumor had it, he was given the nick name ,"Conductor." He even ran track wearing a train conductor's hat, and the legend is he would certainly puff around the track. Jack made life long friends and spent a lifetime telling stories about his buddies and the brothers that taught (and occasionally yelled at) him. A favorite legend is even after all these years Jack "The Conductor" Clift still holds the record for the 600-yard dash. After his class graduated, high-school track and field changed to the metric system so races were converted to meters. No one will ever break the 600-yard dash record.
An Army veteran, Jack first came to Washington while serving his country. From his barracks, he had a view of the magnificent Mt. Rainier—and from that moment on, he was in awe. The mountain and the Pacific Northwest captured his heart, and he never left the place that made him feel at home.
While stationed in Washington, fate stepped in when a wrong number led to the right person. Looking for a mechanic, Jack instead met the woman who would become his wife and the mother of his three children. What began with a simple misdial turned into a lifelong story of love, family, and memories that shaped generations.
Jack lived a life rooted in service, hard work, and love for his family and friends. He had a passion for carpentry and woodworking—he loved the textures and character of wood grain and appreciated a good knot in a board. He was happiest when creating, building, or fixing something, and he poured his care and craftsmanship into everything and everyone he touched.
In the early 1990s, Jack brought his leadership and people-first attitude to many restaurants and businesses. He was always successful at growing the customer base and profitability by his system first style of management. This was most successful and apparent at Wendy's in Lynnwood, Washington. Jack took on a store facing major challenges and tackled it head on. He took on the needed team building and skills training to create a radicle turnaround. Within just one year, his dedication transformed that struggling location into a thriving, million-dollar store.
Jack's ability to turn things around—and to build genuine friendships along the way—made a lasting impact that's still remembered by those who worked with him. This is because at his heart Jack was an incredibly gifted teacher. His ability to break down concepts and ideas into small digestible ideas was really distinctive. He would take those separate small ideas and put them together into larger concepts. These concepts and ideas once integrated last a lifetime. There are people out there who will tell you that they pick up a saw, or ski down a hill, or write a Home Depot list on scrap Sheetrock, or chop up a head of romaine lettuce, or a thousand other things, because Jack Clift taught them the right way once upon a time.
While Jack was a loving father, a skilled carpenter, a gifted teacher and great restaurant manager, he was also a skier. Not just a go up a few times a year and make some turns skier. No sir.
Action Jackson was a ski bum extraordinaire. A man that could go down any hill, slope, or trail you put in front of him. He would get down the mountain carving out the most beautiful tracks anyone ever saw. He was the textbook perfect ski dude. A guy that outfitted his truck every winter to go skiing. That never took his lunch in the lodge. Took too much time out of the day. Jackson brought a camp stove and heated up soup and made himself a grilled cheese sandwich so he could he'd back up for more runs. Those that skied with Jack also benefited from his gift of teaching. He just knew how to make you ski better. While he loved any mountain he skied, his favorites were in the great northern Cascades.
But make no mistake he did have a favorite. Stevens Pass was his spot. He knew that mountain like the back of his hand and could sense from Mukilteo when the big pow would be falling and when the best times to head up would be.
Jack also had a fun-loving side that brought laughter everywhere he went. He was famous for his spot-on Donald Duck impersonation, which never failed to get a laugh, especially from his kids. He made the best blueberry pancakes, too—each one made with love and tailored to his children: a big "grown-up" pancake for John, a Mickey Mouse for Jessica, and a stack of silver dollar pancakes for Joey.
He loved visiting family back east and would often stay for weeks or months at a time. When he came home, he'd bring his Rhode Island accent right back with him. Jessica would always ask him to "say all the things"—from "park the car in Harvard yard" to his hilarious version of the word "fart." Those moments of laughter and love were some of the family's most treasured memories.
One of Jack's favorite stories to tell was about the time he borrowed a dollar from his dad to buy a raffle ticket for a motorcycle. His mom wasn't thrilled, but Jack just knew he was going to win—and he did. That motorcycle wasn't just a prize; it was the beginning of a lifetime of adventure, freedom, and unforgettable stories.
In April 2016, Jack was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease. True to his resilient and generous nature, he became an advocate for awareness and research, participating in study programs such as Enroll HD. In one final act of kindness, Jack chose to be a brain donor—continuing his lifelong mission to help others, even beyond his passing.
Jack believed deeply in positivity and perseverance. He often said, "If you write it down, it will happen," and reminded everyone, "Stay positive—there's no other way to be." He also cherished his home state's motto, "Hope," and lived by it every day.
Jack loved pizza, Wendy's Frostys, and making people smile. His acts of service—big and small—left a lasting mark on everyone who knew him.
To honor Jack's memory, have a Frosty, lend a hand to someone who needs it, and go make someone's day—just like Dad would.
A Celebration of Life will be planned in both Washington and Rhode Island, so family and friends on both coasts can gather to share stories, laughter, and love in Jack's memory.
John Paul Clift, lovingly known as Jack—or "Action Jackson"—was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on August 22, 1957, and passed away peacefully in Everett, Washington, on October 13, 2025.
Jack was the beloved son of Paul Roland Clift and Janice Francis Clift (Gosciminski), and the proud brother of Mary Johnson, Paul Clift, Steve Clift, and David Clift. He was a devoted father to John Paul Clift, Jessica Clift, and Joseph Clift; a loving father-in-law to Erika Venegas; and a cherished grandfather to Jordan Orwiler, Daniella Clift, and Alan Venegas.
Jack attended Bishop Hendricken Catholic High school. Rumor had it, he was given the nick name ,"Conductor." He even ran track wearing a train conductor's hat, and the legend is he would certainly puff around the track. Jack made life long friends and spent a lifetime telling stories about his buddies and the brothers that taught (and occasionally yelled at) him. A favorite legend is even after all these years Jack "The Conductor" Clift still holds the record for the 600-yard dash. After his class graduated, high-school track and field changed to the metric system so races were converted to meters. No one will ever break the 600-yard dash record.
An Army veteran, Jack first came to Washington while serving his country. From his barracks, he had a view of the magnificent Mt. Rainier—and from that moment on, he was in awe. The mountain and the Pacific Northwest captured his heart, and he never left the place that made him feel at home.
While stationed in Washington, fate stepped in when a wrong number led to the right person. Looking for a mechanic, Jack instead met the woman who would become his wife and the mother of his three children. What began with a simple misdial turned into a lifelong story of love, family, and memories that shaped generations.
Jack lived a life rooted in service, hard work, and love for his family and friends. He had a passion for carpentry and woodworking—he loved the textures and character of wood grain and appreciated a good knot in a board. He was happiest when creating, building, or fixing something, and he poured his care and craftsmanship into everything and everyone he touched.
In the early 1990s, Jack brought his leadership and people-first attitude to many restaurants and businesses. He was always successful at growing the customer base and profitability by his system first style of management. This was most successful and apparent at Wendy's in Lynnwood, Washington. Jack took on a store facing major challenges and tackled it head on. He took on the needed team building and skills training to create a radicle turnaround. Within just one year, his dedication transformed that struggling location into a thriving, million-dollar store.
Jack's ability to turn things around—and to build genuine friendships along the way—made a lasting impact that's still remembered by those who worked with him. This is because at his heart Jack was an incredibly gifted teacher. His ability to break down concepts and ideas into small digestible ideas was really distinctive. He would take those separate small ideas and put them together into larger concepts. These concepts and ideas once integrated last a lifetime. There are people out there who will tell you that they pick up a saw, or ski down a hill, or write a Home Depot list on scrap Sheetrock, or chop up a head of romaine lettuce, or a thousand other things, because Jack Clift taught them the right way once upon a time.
While Jack was a loving father, a skilled carpenter, a gifted teacher and great restaurant manager, he was also a skier. Not just a go up a few times a year and make some turns skier. No sir.
Action Jackson was a ski bum extraordinaire. A man that could go down any hill, slope, or trail you put in front of him. He would get down the mountain carving out the most beautiful tracks anyone ever saw. He was the textbook perfect ski dude. A guy that outfitted his truck every winter to go skiing. That never took his lunch in the lodge. Took too much time out of the day. Jackson brought a camp stove and heated up soup and made himself a grilled cheese sandwich so he could he'd back up for more runs. Those that skied with Jack also benefited from his gift of teaching. He just knew how to make you ski better. While he loved any mountain he skied, his favorites were in the great northern Cascades.
But make no mistake he did have a favorite. Stevens Pass was his spot. He knew that mountain like the back of his hand and could sense from Mukilteo when the big pow would be falling and when the best times to head up would be.
Jack also had a fun-loving side that brought laughter everywhere he went. He was famous for his spot-on Donald Duck impersonation, which never failed to get a laugh, especially from his kids. He made the best blueberry pancakes, too—each one made with love and tailored to his children: a big "grown-up" pancake for John, a Mickey Mouse for Jessica, and a stack of silver dollar pancakes for Joey.
He loved visiting family back east and would often stay for weeks or months at a time. When he came home, he'd bring his Rhode Island accent right back with him. Jessica would always ask him to "say all the things"—from "park the car in Harvard yard" to his hilarious version of the word "fart." Those moments of laughter and love were some of the family's most treasured memories.
One of Jack's favorite stories to tell was about the time he borrowed a dollar from his dad to buy a raffle ticket for a motorcycle. His mom wasn't thrilled, but Jack just knew he was going to win—and he did. That motorcycle wasn't just a prize; it was the beginning of a lifetime of adventure, freedom, and unforgettable stories.
In April 2016, Jack was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease. True to his resilient and generous nature, he became an advocate for awareness and research, participating in study programs such as Enroll HD. In one final act of kindness, Jack chose to be a brain donor—continuing his lifelong mission to help others, even beyond his passing.
Jack believed deeply in positivity and perseverance. He often said, "If you write it down, it will happen," and reminded everyone, "Stay positive—there's no other way to be." He also cherished his home state's motto, "Hope," and lived by it every day.
Jack loved pizza, Wendy's Frostys, and making people smile. His acts of service—big and small—left a lasting mark on everyone who knew him.
To honor Jack's memory, have a Frosty, lend a hand to someone who needs it, and go make someone's day—just like Dad would.
A Celebration of Life will be planned in both Washington and Rhode Island, so family and friends on both coasts can gather to share stories, laughter, and love in Jack's memory.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Paul Clift, please visit our flower store.
John Paul Clift's Guestbook
Visits: 170
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors