Eugene Haig Douglass

Gene Douglass was born to Charles Florence and Edna Pearl (Moore) Douglass in the Apheatone community west of Walters, OK on March 5, 1918 and departed this life in Lawton, OK on August 14, 2010 at the age of 92 years, 5 months and 9 days. Gene grew up in Cotton County, primarily west of Temple, OK. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corp in the mid 1930's. He returned to Temple to complete high school before rejoining the Conservation Corp. He joined the U.S. Army in July of 1941, serving in the European theater as a technician for the Army hospitals in London. After "D Day" he was assigned to forces tasked with clearing the way through France and onto Berlin. After the surrender of Germany he remained in the theater for six months guarding German POW's. He earned the WWII Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, American Service Ribbon and the EAME Theater Ribbon. After the War he returned to Temple where he did home construction, home remodeling running the Farmers cotton Gin and worked at Crawford's chicken hatchery. He also worked ten years as a custodian at the Temple Public Schools. He married Dovie Ann McClenny Whiteley on January 10, 1948 in Purcell, OK and enjoyed 62 years of marriage. He was a Baptist. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son-in-law, Terry Scruggs; a sister, Virginia Dawson; and 8 brothers, Cecil, Cloviece, Loren, Howard, Wayne, Clay, Leon and Verneal. Survivors include his wife, Dovie Douglass of Elgin; a son, Herschell Douglass and wife Carly of Elgin; two daughters, Jimmie Scruggs of Lawton and Virginia Hatcher of Elgin; 6 grandchildren, Kevin Scruggs, Brandi Douglass, Doug Howard, Kelly Scruggs, Robert Douglass and Sarah Hatcher; 3 great-grandsons, Keller and Hudson Howard and William Scruggs; many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.