Shipley, Judith (Clyde)–November 11, 1938—March 6, 2022

Judy Clyde left the sunny clime of Carpinteria, California to join our class in the Fall of 1957. She resided in Main Hall (her freshman year), when she became a women’s intramural tennis champion; Loose Hall (her sophomore year), when she participated in Fetzer Sing and in Loose Hall’s winning presentation at the south campus Dance Intramural competition; and Haines Hall (her senior year). Her junior year she spent in Paris at the University of Sorbonne, where she employed and honed her skills in the French language that was her major for graduation in 1961. As a result, Paris became a lifelong love for her and a place she revisited many times.

She was active in theater at the College, playing a young mother with child in the play “The Cave Dwellers” by William Saroyan and the laundress in “Tiger at the Gates” by Jean Giraudoux (English translation by Christopher Fry).

While at Grinnell she and classmate Jerry Shipley met and developed a loving relationship that resulted in their marrying on December 24, 1961. Their first son, Adam Clyde, was born in 1963; their second, Peter James, in 1966. (It also should be noted that Judy and Jerry were divorced in 1994 and that Jerry died in 1996.)

In 1962-64 Judy attended Stanford University, earning a M.A. degree in Education. (In 1982 she earned a M.A. degree in English from Georgetown University.)

After she and her family moved to Washington D.C. in 1966, Judy began her teaching career in the DC Public School system and taught French and English for 30 years at Calvin Coolidge and Benjamin Banneker High Schools. She received multiple teaching awards and recognition and her mission – lifting the lives of disadvantaged inner-city kids — is evidenced by the troves of letters and postcards she received from former students writing from places like Paris or Rome or Ivy league schools about their successes and her impact on their intellectual development.

For decades in retirement, Judy achieved her dream of travelling the world to dozens of places on every continent. Places she would study and learn about before and after her travels. Especially memorable was a Grinnell Alumni trip to Spain in 2006 with friends from our class and era.

Mexico also was a favorite place for Judy and family, especially for many simple and traditional Christmases in Zihuatanejo, Mexico on the Pacific coast. Her son Peter “will forever treasure the sunrises and coffee or sunsets and margaritas we shared together on that beach. My mother enjoyed good food and wine (just a half glass!) and was always up for exploring new culinary experiences.”

Judy was distressed at the political discourse within the U.S.– and appalled by the rhetoric of recent leadership. She believed in the institutions of this country even at its worst moment. Her sense of humor and curiosity in other people’s stories always shone through and was someone with whom you could pass hours in conversation.

Her son, Peter, had the following moving words about his mother. “I am so grateful for everything she did for me and for who she was as a person…….and as I sift through her books and things, I am reminded of what an extraordinary life she led and the life she provided for me. She was a caring, supportive and patient mother, a wonderful grandmother to my children and a truly great friend.” Here is her photo from about seven or eight years ago in son Peter’s garden.

Her memorial service was held on a beautiful day in early April 2022 at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C. It was officiated by a pastor friend who gave a short sermon. Peter’s children and wife each did a selected poetry reading and Peter read a eulogy.

Duane W. Krohnke and Nancy Welch Barnby (co-authors)