Raven Lidman

1945 - 2018

Raven C. Lidman Raven was born Candida Raven Clarke in Rochester, New York (Monroe County) on November 18, 1945. She died at home surrounded by her family on November 12, 2018. Raven met the love of her life, Russell Lidman, when they were 18 and 19 respectively. They were together for 54 years and married for 47. Raven is survived by her children Shane Lidman (Lisa Kagan) and Hannah Lidman (Dan Shiovitz). She was known as "Abi" to her three beloved grandchildren Ezra, Max, and Elias. She is also survived by her sisters Randall Clarke and Holly Clarke, brother Jordan Clarke (Valerie), and dear niece Chelsea Clarke. Raven was a passionate fighter for social justice throughout her life. Immediately after graduating from Cornell University in 1967, Raven volunteered with the United Farm Workers on the grape strike in Delano, CA and then organized the boycotts in Toronto and New York City. Raven spent several years as a potter in Madison, Wisconsin and Oberlin, Ohio (where Russ was teaching) but after settling in Washington State in 1974, she was called back to social justice through a career in the law. Raven graduated from law school in 1978 and worked for Olympia Legal Services followed by a short time in private practice. Her true calling became clear when she returned to Seattle University School of Law as a clinical law professor where she taught her students to practice law with real clients and real cases for 26 years. Raven pioneered the field of clinical legal education nationally and internationally. Raven worked closely with two clinical law programs, Universidad Centroamericana in Nicaragua and Pontificia Universidad Cat¢lica in Peru and she was active in the Global Alliance for Justice Education, attending sessions in various parts of the world. Raven was also a trailblazer for the right to counsel in civil matters and the rights of children to have unbiased representation in custody cases. One of her proudest accomplishments was her work as the lawyer for her friends/clients in the first successful same sex adoption in Washington State in 1989. The case had repercussions throughout the country for same sex rights and parenting. Her most recent accomplishment was serving as a legal resource for the sanctuary movement in the Olympia area. Her maternal grandmother was from Peru and she had many opportunities to travel there to visit, live, and work. Raven was fluent in Spanish and enjoyed traveling throughout Central and South America on her own and with her family. Raven was a resident of Tumwater for 45 years. She was predeceased in death this year by her father, A. Roger Clarke. Her mother, Gay Churchill Clarke, passed in 2001. Raven was utterly, always, and uniquely herself. She loved deeply and was deeply loved. She is greatly missed. Universal Spirit, this one stands before and within you. A memorial service will be held at Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia (201 8th Avenue SE) on Tuesday, November 20 at 2 PM. Donations to honor her life and legacy can be made to Planned Parenthood or the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) at Seattle University School of Law.