My mother, RaeJeanne Kier, who has died aged 82, was an early feminist, one of the first subscribers to Ms magazine and a member of the US National Organization of Women. She proudly pioneered the new feminist role model for her daughters and her peers – that of the married, educated female professional. She had a busy private practice as a child and clinical psychologist in Connecticut for more than 30 years, and later joined the staff of the Bridgeport Child Development Center as a clinical psychologist, from which she retired after many years.
She was a dedicated advocate for children and supported various community and international organisations, notably Unicef. Her interest in world affairs and global climate change was fuelled by reading Guardian Weekly. She also wrote countless letters to her representatives in the US Congress expressing her views.
RaeJeanne learned to play the piano as a child, but composing was a passion that she kept on the “backburner” during her professional and family years. However, in retirement she composed and recorded more than 80 pieces for piano. This was typical of my mother – jumping in with her fierce intellect and enormous enthusiasm to become a student of music composition.
In many ways, her retirement years were just as busy and full as her professional ones – composing, maintaining an active membership in the Yale University Women’s Organization and reading voraciously.
She was raised in San Bernadino, California, the daughter of Fred Dorman, an agronomist, and Mae (nee Webb), a nurse. RaeJeanne earned her first degree in philosophy from UCLA (the University of California, Los Angeles). She went on to study with Jean Piaget, the psychologist and philosopher, at the University of Geneva, gaining a master’s in early childhood development. In 1970, she was one of three women at Yale University to be awarded a PhD in clinical psychology.
She lived her life adventurously, courageously and with purpose. Her marriage to Leon Kier, a neuro-radiologist, ended in divorce.
She is survived by her children, Lynnelle, John, Mark and me, and by many grandchildren, step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.
