Portrait of Clifford Dane. IMB Photo

Clifford Dane, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Belize and Brazil, died Jan. 7, 2025. He was 86.  

Clifford was born July 1, 1938, in Weatherford, Texas, to the late Henry and Ruth Dane. He graduated from Dalhart (Texas) High School and received the Bachelor of Science from Wayland Baptist College (now Wayland Baptist University) in Plainview, Texas; the Master of Religious Education from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth; and the Doctor of Philosophy from Caribbean College of the Bible International in San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago. 

He came to faith as a child and was active in church life alongside his parents and siblings. During his 11th-grade year he surrendered his life to special service for God, and the following year he surrendered to preach. He began preaching at various church services. During his last year of high school, he met Peggy Delano. They were married on Aug. 16, 1959. 

Over the next several years, Clifford pastored, finished college, and taught fourth grade.  Both feeling led to foreign missions, the Danes moved to Fort Worth for seminary in the summer of 1964. While seeking missionary appointment he wrote, “It seems as though my life is most suited for work in education. My life has been centered around the teaching profession. I have taught school. My pastorates have been in churches too small to have an educational director. I have come to love the educational program of a church. … I realize that a church cannot grow, and God’s work cannot progress, and souls cannot be won to Christ without the process of teaching.” 

In 1972, the International Mission Board appointed Clifford and Peggy missionaries to Brazil. He established a school of religious education, planted churches, opened a recreational learning camp, and taught courses in theology, archeology and religious education at Baptist Theological Seminary in North Brazil. They later served in Belize, where he worked to strengthen churches, hosted volunteers from the U.S. and continued planting churches. 

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Peggy Dane; his three children, Brent Dane, Troy Dane, and Gwenann Sprecher; eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.  

A funeral service was held Jan. 13 at First Baptist Church in Dalhart, Texas, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery.  

Donations in his memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity.  

Read an obituary here.