Jack Cooley Clifford

Jack Cooley Clifford was born in Los Angeles, California on May 6, 1934, to Jack Cooley Clifford and Virginia May Meldrum. Jack quietly went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on February 25, 2025, with his wife Carol by his side. 

After graduating high school, Jack joined the Air Force and proudly served his country during the Korean war. While in the military, Jack met Jesus Christ at a revival in Biloxi, MS, and also married Ethel Davis. They were married 21 years. During those 21 years, Jack received a Bachelor’s degree from Biola University, in La Mirada, CA, a Masters of Divinity degree, from Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX, and became a father to a daughter, Jane Marie. Jack was a successful stockbroker, and later became Vice President of the firm. In the late 1970’s divorce sadly entered Jack’s life, and his marriage ended.

At the age of 50, Jack retired and began to pursue a lifelong passion of serving the Lord through full-time missions. For the following 25 years Jack worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators, where he met and married Carol Heinze. They lived in Switzerland for a few years to learn French, but spent most of their ministry in Bamako, Mali, West Africa. While in Mali, on many occasions Jack took a break from his general administrative duties and contractors' role to visit local government officials. He would chat with them and offer to share a morning coffee and encourage them to release packages and bigger items from customs, as well as speeding up the needed permits for translators in the villages, so the work of Bible translation could move forward. 

Jack was quick-witted and chose to see life through an enlarged, humorous lens. Jack not only learned five different languages, but also gathered and shared random facts about little-known subjects that he would eagerly share with others. 

Of all of the characteristics Jack was known for, none was greater than his love for Jesus Christ. In each of the churches where Jack was a member, he was highly involved as a bible study teacher or deacon, and often delivered sermons during a pastor’s absence. Tears easily flowed when Jack talked about God’s goodness and faithfulness. He encouraged others to dig deep and experience Christ in a personal and real way. Those who knew him well, will be forever grateful for the blessing of his friendship. 

Jack is preceded in death by his father and mother Jack and Virginia Clifford, and younger brother, Dennis Clifford. He is survived by his loving and caring wife, Carol Clifford, daughter, Jayne Shackelford, granddaughter, Lauryn Shackelford, brother, Patrick Clifford and his wife Ruth, Dennis Clifford’s wife Jane, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. 

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to me – the task of testifying the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24