Ralph N. Clough

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Johns Hopkins University University of Washington

Ralph Clough Obituary

CLOUGH

RALPH N. CLOUGH (Age 90)

RALPH N. CLOUGH, retired Foreign Service Officer and author of books on Asian affairs, died of myelodysplasia at Sunrise Assisted Living center in Arlington, VA on August 10, 2007.

He was a resident of Arlington for 40 years. Mr. Clough was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington, where he developed his lifelong passion for the outdoors. In the late 1930's Mr. Clough became involved with mountain climbing and made many ascents (some firsts) throughout the Cascade Mountains. Mr. Clough was a lifelong birdwatcher, first with his brother, Ray Clough and more recently with his grandchildren.

He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Washington in 1939 and completed an M.A. in international relations at the Fletcher School of Tufts University in 1940. After joining the State Department in 1941, Mr. Clough spent 25 years in the Foreign Service with postings in mainland China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Britain and Taiwan. He rose to Deputy Chief of Mission in Taipei, Taiwan, before returning to Washington, D.C., and rounding out his career as a member of the Policy Planning Council of the State Department, retiring in 1969.

His second career began with an appointment at the Brookings Institution, continued at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, and culminated with a position at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins in Washington, D.C.

During a 30-year span, Mr. Clough wrote and edited numerous books on the Far East and on American foreign policy toward Asia. Notable titles included East Asia and U.S. Security (1975), Deterrence and Defense in Korea (1976), Island China (1978), Reaching Across the Taiwan Strait (1993), and Cooperation or Conflict in the Taiwan Strait (1999). He retired from SAIS in 2003 after many years teaching the Taiwan seminar and organizing the lecture series China Forum. His first wife, Mary Lou Sander Clough, died in 1950.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Awana Stiles Clough; two sons, Frederick Clough and Marshall Clough, of Santa Barbara, California and Greeley, Colorado, respectively; two daughters, Laurie Clough Schuda of Arlington and Drusilla Clough Hufford, of McLean; six grandchildren, Gregory, Carrie, Christopher, Alexander, Stephanie, and Susannah; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel, Arlington, VA at 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2007.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Aug. 15, 2007.

Memories and Condolences
for Ralph Clough

4 Entries

Herbert Levin

August 26, 2007

For nearly fifty years, in the Foreign Service and thereafter, Ralph was a friend and mentor. I can remember in Taiwan his explaining to me the widely varying experiences of China's provinces since the 19th century and yet how inescabably Sino-centric they remain. From his closing of the last official American installation in Beijing in 1949, through the Warsaw talks, the US normalization of relations with the PRC, Ralph was a wise counselor, deeply respected by Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and Americans alike. East Asia is a better place due to his endeavors.

Cornelia and I share Awana's and the entire Clough family's sense of loss.

Herbert Levin

from left Ralph, Bob Burton, Doak and Jeanne, Betty Lou and Arthur Hummel, Preston Schoyer

Jeanne Barnett

August 22, 2007

Ralph's gentle and generous hospitality of himself has been present for me ever since March of 1954 when he and Awana hosted our wedding reception in their Peak-top home in Hong Kong just a few days after my arrival from New York. The ensuing years have been dotted with innumerable moments of kindness, sustained attention, and friendship expressed, most especially during his time at SAIS when, along with his colleague Doak, he continued his life-long and important contributions to understanding East Asia and the U.S. Additionally, he loved birds and that is a testament to anyone's character and quiet passions. He was in all respects a lovely man.

Lindsey Grant

August 22, 2007

Reminiscences are really for the living, because Ralph is gone, and all we can do is to provide some recollections to keep him alive in Awana's memories.

Ralph was in Hong Kong, head of the political section in the American Consulate General in Hong Kong when I arrived there in 1950. He was one of the straightest and most considerate men I have ever met. He was still recovering from the loss of his first wife then. It was a most considerate Department, or Providence, that sent Awana to Hong Kong shortly thereafter, and theeir long marriage testifies to its own success.

Ralph was the only Foreign Service Officer at that time trained in both Mandarin and Cantonese -- a valuable combination for service in Hong Kong. (Al Harding, who died just last September, later repeated the feat.)

I have somewhere a group picture taken outside Gingles', where we had a big stag lunch to send me off to Washington to marry Berry Marshall, who had been a USIS Secretary in Hong Kong. It was a marrying time. Awana, I will search harder for that picture, but I won't hold up this note for it. Ralph is in the center, and Howie Boorman, Steve Comiskey, Al Harding, Frank Kierman are all in it, among others.

In fond memory...

Lindsey Grant

Ralph and fellow students San Kuan Miao March 1947

Jerry Stryker

August 21, 2007

Ralph was the first FSO there when language training resumed in September 1946 at the American Consulate General in (then) Peip'ing.

In the next few months five others joined the 18-month program. All are shown in this photograph taken at San Kuan Miao in March 1947.
From left to right: Ed Martin, Ralph, Jerry Stryker, Al Jenkins, Larry Lutkins, and Bob Rinden.

Ralph's outstanding career and many lifelong friendships began here. He is gone, alas, but he will not be forgotten.