Obituary of Donald DOUGLAS

Donald Quincy Douglas, 90, passed away on Friday, January 7, 2005, at his home with family by his side. He was born on July 17, 1914 in Los Angeles, CA; to William Harold and Barbara Cox Douglas. The extended Douglas family was living in Los Angeles, CA; while establishing the Douglas Manufacturing Company to manufacture their first order of voting booths for Los Angeles County's election of 1910. Donald's grandmother, Elizabeth Robb Douglas was the inventor of the first steel collapsible voting booth, patented in 1906, the first of her many patents. In 1912, the parents, 3 sons and their families moved the factory to their hometown of Crete, NEB; and also built there. Today the Douglas Manufacturing Company is still producing voting booths and voting equipment and is still in the Douglas family. Don grew up in Crete, NEB; attending school and working as a young man at the factory with his father, uncle and cousins. Don graduated high school in 1932. He loved sports, lettering 4 years in basketball, football, track and swimming. He continued his love of sports throughout his life, especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers teams. He came to Monrovia, CA; in 1938, where he met and married his wife Sarah Louise Seymour on June 27, 1941, in Monrovia, CA; at the First Christian Church. He later worked at the Bethlehem Steel Shipyards in San Pedro before and during the war. They lived in Oregon and Washington for several years before settling in Duarte, CA. Don retired in 1984 from Allied Van Lines as Warehouse storage facilities manager in Pasadena, CA. In 1985-86 he built their home in Lake Havasu City, where he and Sarah have resided since. They enjoyed their retirement each year taking trailer trips, visiting friends, relatives and the State and National Parks throughout the United States and Canada.Don is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Sarah L. Douglas, children Diane Douglas Monk and husband Steve of Duarte, CA; William "Bill" Douglas and wife Judy of Hesperia, CA; Gerald "Gerry" Douglas and wife Susie of San Diego, CA; Lawrence "Larry" Douglas and wife Susanne of Alta Loma, CA; brother Gene C. Douglas of Crete, NEB; sister in law Elizabeth "Betty" White of Walnut, CA; grandchildren Shannan Barragan, Steven Douglas, Scott Monk, Christopher Douglas, Jason Douglas, Brian Douglas, Amanda Douglas, Samantha Douglas, Holli Palazzo and Michael Newton; great grandchildren Tyler Barragan, Cameron Monk, Nathan Douglas, Evan Palazzo, Aiden Palazzo, Rachel Newton, Matthew Newton and Caitlyn Arrington. He was preceded in death by his parents William Harold and Barbara Cox Douglas, son Donald Q. Douglas Jr., brother Warren E. Douglas and sisters Lorraine Schultz, Jeanette Pickford and Dorothy Fattig.A memorial service will be held at Lietz-Fraze Chapel on Saturday, January 15, 2005 at 2:00 pm with Rev. Richard Rounds officiating. Arrangements were entrusted to Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home and Crematory