Rod Clifton. co-owner of Books on the Square in Providence, R.I., died October 24. In a statement announcing his death "with profound sadness," the bookstore noted that 20 years ago, "Rod and [his wife] Merc Clifton stepped up to save Books on the Square from closing its doors. Over the years, they grew it from a struggling shop into a thriving, cherished community asset. Rod was a devoted figure in our neighborhood, balancing his life in education as a Brown University professor of engineering with fostering a deep love of literature through the bookstore. Though declining health reduced his day-to-day involvement in later years, the bookstore remains an important part of his legacy.
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| Rod and Merc Clifton | |
"Many of you may remember Rod running the mini-golf putting station on Independent Bookstore Day or helping Merc hand out cookies. Together, Rod and Merc generously opened their home to our staff for countless holiday and summer celebrations. His impact on our lives and the store is immeasurable. We fully intend to keep the bookstore open and to preserve the high standards that Merc and Rod established."
A distinguished professor emeritus at Brown University, Clifton was also a scientist, educator, community leader, husband, father, and grandfather "whose resourcefulness, generosity and determination shaped the lives of many people," his obituary noted.
While attending the University of Nebraska, Clifton met his future wife, Merc, beginning a lifelong partnership that took them from Nebraska to Rhode Island, where they built a family and shared their lives in the community. He earned his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University before joining the faculty at Brown University, where he spent most of his professional life.
His contributions to the mechanics of materials earned him international recognition, including the William Prager Medal in 1986 and the Timoshenko Medal in 2000. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1989 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005. His career reflected both intellectual ambition and a lifelong willingness to tackle difficult problems.
In 2007, Rod and Merc Clifton purchased Books on the Square in Providence's Wayland Square neighborhood. At the time, he told the Providence Journal: "Our expectations aren't terribly high. Our retirement does not rely on this." They hoped, he continued, to break even or make a modest profit, and to combine their love of books with the desire to run a business. Their son Jeff, who worked for 10 years at the Providence Public Library, would work at the store, they added.
"Together with Merc and the store's dedicated staff, he helped sustain a valued neighborhood institution, one that brought books, ideas and people together," Clifton's obituary noted, adding: "Rod's life encompassed extraordinary achievement and ordinary acts of kindness. He could contribute to advances in engineering, guide a community institution and then roll up his sleeves to help wherever he was needed. Those who knew him will remember not only what he built and accomplished, but the stories he told, the gatherings he made possible and the unmistakable determination with which he met the world."
A memorial service will be held tomorrow, Friday, November 6, at 11 a.m., at the Barrington Presbyterian Church, 400 County Road, Barrington, R.I. Contact the family to attend the service via Zoom.