Donald Morse Douglas

Douglas, Dr. Donald M., Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of History and Geography, Wichita State University, devoted husband, loving but stern father and grandfather, and great-grandfather died Jan. 15, 2013 of heart failure. Dr. Douglas was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1924. He leaves behind his wife of 69 years, Ada Glynn (“Lynn”); daughters, Dr. Sharon Lynn Douglas and Donna Christine Douglas and husband Mark Coughenour; granddaughters Michelle Leigh (Jon) Nielsen, Erika Lynn Douglas, Meredith Lynn Coughenour; great-grandchildren, Zak, Luke, and Kate Nielsen; brother Guy Barry Douglas and his wife Pat. He will be remembered as a Veteran of World War II serving in the Army Air Corps, a “railroad man” having worked 14 years after the War for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, a Master of the Masonic Lodge and Commander of the American Legion Post, a demanding professor of history and teacher of life to many of all cultures, a man who unwaiveringly for 35 years devoted his professional life to the remembrance of the Holocaust, being the driving force behind the Wichita Holocaust commemorations, Yom HaShoah, as well as the Kansas liaison to and member of the U.S. Holocaust Commission with four trees planted in Israel in his name. He has written, among other works, Survivors in the Heartland, based on extensive personal interviews with Holocaust survivors. He also served on the Board of Directors for the National Conference of Christians and Jews, was a member of the Kansas History Teachers Association, and was the recipient of many awards: Kansas Committee for the Humanities Special Award for Outstanding Humanities Project, National Conference of Christian and Jews Silver Medallion for Brotherhood, Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation Humanitarian Award, Eisenhower Liberation Award for exceptional achievements in the field of human rights, Wichita State University Honors Program Mentors Award, and Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation Special Award for unwavering commitment to Holocaust education. Celebration of Life Services will be Sun., Jan. 20, 3:30 p.m., Downing Lahey, 6555 E. Central, Wichita, KS. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Alzheimers Association, American Heart Association, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, and/or Holocaust commemoratives c/o Congregation Emanu-El are welcome.