Remembering Canon Joseph Arthur Dubay of Portland
Canon Joseph Arthur Dubay served the public as a mathematician, Episcopal priest, and psychotherapist throughout his life.
Canon Dubay graduated from Harvard College in 1953, Magna cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with his BA in Mathematics. In 1954, he received his Master’s from Harvard, followed by three years at University of Chicago. After a time teaching Mathematics at University of Oregon, he attended CDSP in Berkeley for his Masters in Divinity from 1959-1963. He had a Danforth fellowship to be at the Yale Chaplain’s office from 1961-2.
He married Inga Shipstead in 1959 at St. Mary’s in Eugene. Their first son, Christopher, was born in 1960, followed by twins Gregory and Jonathan in 1963. He is survived by one grandson, Liam Dubay, who is studying astrophysics at The Ohio State, and Fiona Dubay, studying environmental science at Sarah Lawrence College.
He was ordained to the diaconate in 1963 in St. Stephens Cathedral and to the priesthood in 1964 at Emmanuel Church, Coos Bay by Bishop Carman. Father Harry Heaney was the rector. Inga recalls that the ordination was well-attended as one of the first Oregon ordinations outside Portland. He was rector of Trinity Church in Ashland from 1965-68.
He served as Episcopal Chaplain at Koinonia House from 1968-74, an interdenominational ministry at Portland State University. “It was a unique ministry that encompassed five denominations. It was during the antiwar days and was a very big, impactful ministry,” said Inga.
He became a psychotherapist and received licensing for marriage and family counseling. In 1991, he served as interim rector of Trinity Church. He served as executive director of William Temple House from 1992-93 and remained adjunct staff at Trinity while serving as a therapist.
In 2004, he served as interim dean of Trinity Cathedral, and in 2005 he was given Honorary Canon status by the Diocese of Oregon. In 2016, he was given Trinity Cathedral’s Holy Spirit award for twenty years of offering pre-marital workshops.
His 60th ordination anniversary was January 5th, 2024. It was Twelfth Night, after Christmas celebrations.
Inga remembers that when he went from being a professor of mathematics to seminary, a colleague said, “Oh, you’re going to study theometrics, the measurement of God.”
He retired in the early 2000s and was living happily in the same Portland home he kept for 53 years. He pursued painting, poetry, writing, genealogy, and travel. Inga tells us he also climbed Mount Hood in 1981.
His service will be in June at Trinity Cathedral; we will notify followers when the date and time are confirmed.