Dudley Clendinen, 1944 - 2012

Dudley Clendinen and Tom Hall in the WYPR studios in October 2011.  Photo by Stephanie Hughes.

The writer and journalist Dudley Clendinen died today in Baltimore after a year and a half long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.  Dudley worked as a reporter and editorial writer for The New York Times, and was the author of several books, including  Out for Good: The Struggle to Build a Gay Rights Movement in America, on the evolution of the gay rights movement, and A Place Called Canterbury: Tales of the New Old Age in America.  He remained in his home until he was moved to hospice care at the Joseph Richey House earlier today.  He was 67 years old.

Dudley was open about his experience with terminal illness, both in the op-ed pages of The Times, and on Maryland Morning, where he spoke about the disease in a series of interviews with Tom Hall called “Living with Lou: Dudley Clendinen on a Good, Short Life.” 

Tom Hall’s remembrance of Dudley was broadcast on WYPR on Thursday, May 31.  You can listen above, or a transcript is available here.  The music used is “Ae Fond Kiss” by Corrina Hewat from My Favorite Places.  You can listen to it here.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 4, at 10 am at the Cathedral of the Incarnation on University Parkway in Baltimore. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Dudley’s name to the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins or to Joseph Richey Hospice.

About these ads