John G. Clift

A longtime resident of Dorchester, died October 29, 2024 at Sherrill House in Jamaica Plain at the age of 75 years. 

Born on April 17, 1949, in Hyannis, he was, according to his sister, the “perfect son” of the late John “Gorham” Clift and Melva Virginia (Barlow) Clift. According to his mother, John had from an early age, “all [the] mechanical toys” and spent many hours watching and later helping his father operate steam shovels and bulldozers to build and expand the family home in Yarmouth.

Following his graduation from Dennis-Yarmouth High School in 1967 and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1971 with a B.S. in mechanical engineering, John moved to Boston, where he purchased a classic 1900-era triple-decker in Savin Hill and embarked on a career in facilities management. He worked for Johnson Controls, Boston University, Trinity Church in the City of Boston, and M.H. Massey & Co., from which he retired in 2014.

As director of facilities from 1996 to 2003, John played a crucial role during the restoration and expansion of H.H. Richardson’s national historic landmark Trinity Church – which he was pleasantly surprised recently to learn earned him recognition in an endnote by Richardson expert James O’Gorman in The Makers of Trinity Church.

John was an avid student and collector of art, including painting, calligraphy, sculpture, and weaving, particularly antique kilims. He traveled widely over many years, including four trips to Turkey, his dream trip to China, as well as trips to many European countries. John studied Chinese with a tutor for several years prior to his trip to China in the fall of 2019 and continued his lessons until a diagnosis of lung cancer in the spring of 2024.

John is survived by his beloved sister, Virginia M. Clift of Plymouth, and many dear friends with whom he maintained deep and decades-long connections.

Family and friends will honor and remember John’s life by gathering for a funeral service in Trinity Church, 206 Clarendon Street, Boston, on Thursday morning, November 21, 2024, at 11:00 A.M., with a reception following in the church’s undercroft.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sherrill House (sherrillhouse.org) or Longwood Hospice (longwoodhospice.com), both of which provided John with excellent, compassionate care.