Grace Cathedral

Dean Emeritus, The Very Rev. Alan William Jones 
March 5, 1940 – January 14, 2024

Dear Cathedral Friends,

I am writing with sad news. Dean Emeritus, The Very Rev. Alan William Jones, died peacefully on Sunday morning in his room at a retirement community in San Francisco. His wife, Cricket, spent the morning with him and stepped out of the room to visit with a friend. When she came back to his bedside, she discovered that his spirit had just departed. Early in the afternoon, we anointed Alan with oil and prayed for him.

Alan participated in various staff gatherings and faithfully attended services at the cathedral for many years until his health declined precipitously at the end of last summer. During our visits over the last few weeks, he stopped talking and became more withdrawn. 

For nearly a quarter of a century, Alan served as Dean of Grace Cathedral. He was one of the most powerful preachers of his generation and helped make the cathedral one of the global centers of Christianity. During his tenure, we constructed Chapter House, the Great Steps, and our parking garage. With Lauren Artress, Alan helped to make walking the labyrinth into a religious practice observed by millions of people. Alan inaugurated our Forum series and represented the cathedral admirably in the community.

We feel deeply grateful to Cricket for the wise and compassionate care she provided Alan, especially as his health worsened. 

This week, we will be reviewing the instructions Alan left for his burial service and will notify the community when we have set a time and date.

Alan Jones was deeply steeped in Benedictine spirituality. We will never forget his generous vision for reimagining the church and for a Christianity whose primary message is that God loves everyone without exception. 

Love,

Malcolm

The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young
Dean of Grace Cathedral