In Memory of Rev. Kenneth Torquil MacLean (October 4 1926 – May 29, 2024)

We offer our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Dr. Kenneth “Ken” Torquil MacLean who died on May 29, 2024, at the age of 97.

Ken was born on October 4, 1926, in Brooklyn, NY to John A. MacLean and Josie MacLeod MacLean. He grew up in Cranston, RI, and graduated from Cranston High School (1944). Following graduation, he served in the US Army (1944-1946). In 1949, he received his Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from Brown University, RI. Thereafter, for six years he was a teacher of English and social studies at Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, CA (1951-1957).

Ken married Harriet L. Johnson in 1954. Harriet introduced him to Unitarian Universalism. Fascinated by Unitarian Universalism, he started attending the Unitarian Community Church of Santa Monica, CA. He became active in the church, taught church school, led some of the church forums, and worked on many of the church committees. Ken highly appreciated the true freedom of Unitarianism, its congregational polity, and its rejection of creeds. He became deeply committed to the work and wanted to enter the ministry to strengthen individual lives and contribute to the remaking of the human community. In 1960, he graduated from Harvard Divinity School, MA with his Bachelor of Sacred Theology. In 1982, Meadville Lombard Theological School, IL conferred him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity.

Rev. MacLean was ordained by the Unitarian Church of Roslindale, MA, and the First Parish, West Roxbury, MA on November 27, 1960. He served the two churches from 1960 to 1964. In 1962, during his tenure, these two historic churches united as the Theodore Parker Unitarian Church. Thereafter, in 1964 Rev. MacLean accepted a call from the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church, Knoxville, TN, where he would minister until 1972. He also helped found the first Knoxville Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in a state seething with the tensions of the 1960s civil rights movement. From 1972 to 1992, Rev. MacLean served the Cedar Lane UU Congregation, MD as a senior minister. His ministry supported the leadership of the church to address problems while maintaining essential unity and supported the work of a variety of church committees. Upon his retirement in 1992, the congregation honored him as their minister emeritus.

Following retirement, Rev. MacLean continued his service as a visiting minister at the UU Church of the Desert, CA (1992-1993). In 1993, the President of the UUA appointed him as a “Special Assistant for Interfaith and International Activities.” In this role (1994-1999), he worked to strengthen UU heritage worldwide and helped organize the founding meeting of the International Council of Unitarian Universalists. Subsequently, Rev. MacLean again provided his services to the UU Church of the Desert, CA (1999-2006), (2009-2012) leading them to build a beautiful new church home. In 2012, the UU Church of the Desert honored him as their minister emeritus. Rev. MacLean also was a contract minister for the Juneau UU Fellowship, AK in 2007.

In addition to his parish ministries, Rev. MacLean founded and organized the Senior Ministers of Large Unitarian Universalist Congregations (SMOLUUC). He served as President of the UUMA and in that role, he was instrumental in helping establish the Office of Church Staff Finances to help churches and ministers address questions of salary, health care pensions, and equitable compensation. He established a foundation grant to supplement the income of retired ministers and their widows who were living on less than $10,000 a year. He served two terms on the Board of Trustees of the UUA and helped establish the UUA’s Task Force on AIDS. Furthermore, Rev. MacLean served on the board of the UUSC and worked with the leaders of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) to support the ordination of ministers of religious educators. He received the 2014 Annual Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism. 

In his leisure time, he enjoyed swimming, piano, travel, and theater.

Ken is survived by his partner Terry Watson and son Derek MacLean.

A memorial service was held at 2.30 pm on September 21, 2024, at the Cedar Lane UU Congregation, 9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda, MD 20814. You can view the livestream of the service here.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.cluuc.org/give.

Notes of condolences may be sent to: Cedar Lane UU Congregation, 9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda, MD 20814.