DONALD JAMES DOUGLASS 1931-2017
“In paradisum deducant
te Angeli” “May the angels lead
you to paradise.” Donald James Douglass joined our creator on March 27, 2017 at the age of 85. Don was born in Gonzales, TX and grew up in Corpus Christi, TX. After graduating from Corpus Christi High School, Don attended Rice University and graduated 2nd in his class with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Texas in Austin in 1954. He earned his MBA from Stanford Business School in 1959. He served in the U.S. Navy between 1954-1958 as a Lieutenant and Aviator flying both the F9F-6 Cougar and FJ-3 Fury aircrafts from the USS Enterprise carrier in the Far East. Don Douglass founded Alamo Group, Inc (ALG-NYSE) in 1969, located in Seguin, TX and served as its Chairman from 1969 to 2011. He was Chief Executive Officer of Alamo Group Inc. from 1969 to 1999. He served as a Director of Alamo Group Inc. from 1969 to 2011. Alamo Group is a global manufacturer of high quality tractor-mounted mowing and grounds maintenance equipment. In 1996 Forbes Magazine published an article about Don and his entrepreneurial success with Alamo Group and the establishment of the Douglass Foundation. The Douglass Foundation began in 1982 exclusively for educational, entrepreneurial, scientific, and artistic purposes. The foundation has provided funds to schools of business; the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas for graduate level scholarships; and Douglass Fellowships in American Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Smithsonian American Art Museum. The foundation also supported Texas Biomedical Research Institute Post Doctorate Fellowship in gene function.
Don was an active member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, San Antonio and St. Mark’s Episcopal in New Canaan, CT. He has always been passionate for poetry and the arts and is well known for his love for American art, Impressionist art, and sculptures that inspire beauty, love, and spirituality.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 30 years, Helen Doscher Dunlap Douglass and by his parents Arthur James and Alice Sewall Douglass. He is survived by his former wife, Shirley Engelhardt Douglass Burgher and their three children, Daryl Douglass, Scott Douglass, Laurel Douglass and wife, Fraulein. His grandchildren are Kathryn Douglass, James Douglass and wife, Ayesha; and brothers John and Stephen Douglass. He is survived by his sister, Marylee Browning and husband Robert. He is also survived by Helen’s children, Kimberly Dunlap and son, Samuel Fesko and Scott Dunlap and wife, Mia.
Memorial services will be held at San Antonio on Monday, April 3rd at 2:30pm at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 315 East Pecan Street, San Antonio, TX. A reception will follow at The Argyle, 934 Patterson Ave, San Antonio, TX. There will be a Memorial service in New Canaan at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 111 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT on May 16th at 11am.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to
Texas Biomedical Research Institute, P.O. Box 760549, San Antonio, TX 78245 in honor of Donald Douglass. Don was interested in their work in Ebola, Parkinson’s disease, and stem cell therapy. Arrangements with PORTER LORING
MORTUARY 1101 MCCULLOUGH SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 210-227-8221