ROCKLAND — Jeffory John Clough, 66, died at his home March 22, 2013, from complications of an extended respiratory illness.

Born in Augusta Nov. 28, 1946, he was the son of Fred A. and Josephine Kantauskis Clough. In 1959, Jeffory moved with his family to Bethel, and they later lived in Rumford and Cape Elizabeth. He attended Cape Elizabeth High School and was a 1965 graduate of Maine Classical Institute in Pittsfield. In 1969 Jeffory graduated from Nasson College in Springvale.

For a time, he taught English at Telstar Regional High School in Bethel, and later worked at the Portland School of Art.

Jeffory authored and published two books of poetry, Azoth and Juliets of July. Jeffory was born to write. He was incredibly creative with language, with constructing words that illuminated a moment, a vision, a thought, a feeling.

Using unique bibelots, he created mystical and magical worlds for himself wherever he lived — from San Francisco to Florida to Maine.

Growing up, Jeffory was an avid skier and skied competitively for several of the schools he attended. He traveled with a group to ski Mt. Baker in Washington state the summer before he started high school, and skied Sugarloaf before it was a skiing mecca.

Jeffory loved his dogs, Luke, a rescued greyhound, and Ripley, his dachshund, who survives him.

Besides his parents, Jeffory was pre-deceased by a sister-in-law, Carol Clough, in 2012. He is survived by three brothers, Fred Clough of Cape Elizabeth, Scott Clough of Litchfield and David Clough and his wife, Sachiko, of Rockland; one sister, Kathleen Clough of Rumford; as well as several nieces and nephews, including Fred A. Clough and his wife, Deb, Andrew Clough, Ian Clough, Mikaela Clough, Miyoko Taniguchi, Mamiko Taniguchi and Kotaro Taniguchi.

To share a story or memory, visit Jeffory's online Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County, P.O. Box 1294, Rockland, ME 04841.

Private arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home in Rockland.