Doug and I were best of freinds growing up. We went through elementary, intermediate and high school together and remained good friends until the day of his tragic death in December 1972. It's hard to believe it has been almost 40 years since his passing.
He was a kind, sincere and honest man and he left us way too early. Many of his AHS classmates honored him at his funeral and based on the number of people that attended, it was a real tribute to how many lives he touched. He is still missed by many today.
I have more comments re: Doug than anyone could imagine but let's start w/ this. How did he I become best of reinds? Answer: sports injuries. He blew out his knee after 16 consecutive wresting wins; I learned that I had a deformed spine ala x-rays after coliding w/ Bob Miller, Greg Lambert & at least another 600 lbs of meat under Coach Hardage. Real simple, Doug & I were on the outs...no sports, no revalry, no nothing. We were sports rejects that somehow found each other so that's when Mutt & Jeff met up & it stuck.
He was 212 lbs; I was 158. He settled things quickly; I opted for discussion/ negotiation. Doug was a no nosense guy; I was simply nonsense so the stage was set for a great, great friendship that only got more nonsensical. Why, I'm not sure from both of us but I would urge him to run his parent's car up on a skunk at night only for the skunk to spary their car irreparibly & me saying I didn't know that would happen w/ Doug taking the unexpected brunt. I'd suggest we go to the Burke graveyard w/ fellow female classmates for the fun & scary intrigue only for Doug, the driver, to get in trouble when the cops unexpectantly showed up (how would I know?). I like to think I was the idea man but in the end I think Doug was the reasonable man.
This chemistry conjured up many a laugh & practical joke. For example, Doug was PETRIFIED of snakes so when one of my special pet snakes unexpectatly died, I KNEW what I had to do...freeze it in a striking position & find a way to get it close to old Dougie. At that time I was driving my mom's 1967 Dodge station wagon that had this great feature. When you opened the glove box a little light would turn on so all I had to do was get that snake in the glove box, fake that I was lost in DC & beg Doug to get out the map to let all hell unfold. And it was so beautiful! As planned, I'm complaining we are seriously lost & we need to get out a map & Doug does so only to see that snake propped up there ready to strike & WOW! Oh WOW! Have you ever seen a 212-lb man do a double back flip over not one but 2 seats in 3 seconds? Well, Ladies & Gentlemen, that was a great gag & I was there to enjoy it in spades. He never knew what hit him when we became friends.
Someone once told me they recalled some crazed pair possibly having used pressurized fire extinguishers to spray unsuspecting pedestrians. I can't really remember if that happened or not but they surely did scatter when the trigger was pulled after spending so much time beforehand telling us how to get to some difficult-to-get-to-place like Key Bridge, creating tears of laughter like no other. These inocent, fun days are some of those I miss w/ our buddy Doug. He was so, so strong, so kind and fun to be with; he was the guy at the end of the joke who didn't need to say anything because he always saw it coming (except for the snake!). I knew him so. so well & was literally by his side to the end and miss him dearly, very dearly.
How could you talk about Doug and the alleged "fire extingushers" without sharing the best of all pranks that was played on our friend Duff. The night Mark thought you had been shot by Gary Lamb's dad and jumped out of Doug's car armed with only a fire extinguisher to then find you under the car. Doug was truly one of the good guys who exemplified a big guy w the softest of hearts. Those football games on the church lot up the street from Doug and the George's followed by soft ice cream from Hmmm, "what was the name of that ice cream place" were the best of Sunday afternoons.
I'm glad Steve mentioned the station wagon or, as we called it, the War Wagon.
It's Halloween and Steve Wendt, Robert Lowe, Doug and myself were out playing Bowling for Mailboxes. We had headed to Burke and "removed" some unsold pumkins from a roadside stand. The wagon was full of pumkins and we were racing around in the cover of night nailing mailboxes.
Doug and I were in the jump seat facing backwards while Steve drove and Robert rode shotgun.
I was sitting on the tailgate facing forward with a pumpkin resting on the roof that was as big as Doug. A cluster of mailboxes was approaching and I launced the pumpkin at just the right moment. As I did, one of my butt cheeks unlatched the tailgate and I was left floating in the air. Steve and Robert were laughing so much they couldn't hear me screaming like a little girl. With my finger nails dragging in the paint all I could think of was how my head was going to explode like that pumpkin when I hit that pavement racing beneath me. Suddenly my hips flew forward and I was back in the seat next to Doug. In his usual coolness, he had reached out, grabbed my belt buckle and tossed me back in the seat...like a little girl. And again, in Doug's usual cool way, he looked at me and simply said, "So where you goin'?". I kissed him.
Doug left us all on a Friday night, if memory serves. I was awakened early Sat. with a knock on my dorm door. I was told I had a phone call. I went to the phone and Robert Lowe was on the line.
"I have some bad news, man. Doug is dead. Steve and Moo are in the hospital. It's bad."
I told Robert I was on my way home and hung up. As I was packing, I put on some music to try and process what was just said to me. Doug had become fond of the "Yes" album and I decided to put "Starship Trooper" on. To this day when I hear that piece, a smile comes to my face and water to my eyes.
Paul Peters sent me an email yesterday asking how Doug died. Although Steve Wendt can fill in the details here is the short version of what was a tragic accident.
Paul, Doug died in a hunting cabin fire the fall of my 2nd year in college so, 1972. He, Steve Wendt, and Steve's brother Matthew were there when a kerosene lamp got knocked over. By the time they realized it was out of control the one door had swelled shut. Matthew and by some miracle Steve were able to get out a small window but Doug was just too big. Steve was badly burned and the story of his surviving is remarkable.
I remember the pumpkin adventure! I was there. I remember laughing so hard that I thought I would wet my pants! We set up this chain and rolled the pumpkins to each other and loaded them in the station wagon. I think the next night with the left overs we rolled them back, just to mess with the guy's head. I also remember sitting on top of the railroad trestle at Burke and watch the train come around the corner and the headlight looked like the sun was coming right at you! We would all just go off about it....then one time the railroad police busted us! They let us go, but it was a little unnerving. I remember Doug's gentleness, and I remember how tight he and Mike Lowe were. Since we were all Young Lifers, I pray that in Jesus we will spend eternity together and this is just a blink of the eye.
The Continental car Doug, I & Shulzy drove to Ocean City in was Doug Coghlin's dad's; the kind that was used in the Animal House movie's Road Trip where the back doors open toward the back.
The station wagon that might have been used (is the statue of limitations in my favor?) in the pumpkin episode alluded to above was gold Dodge station wagon owned by the Wendt family and dubbed the War Wagon b/c it had been in 13, yes 13, accidents/ fender benders as I and my siblings learned to drive and others just decided to hammer it. It alsways had a fresh coat of paint. But what has not been related re: the night of the pumpkin event alluded to above is as the "bucket brigade"of pumpkins were being rolled across the yard to the next person in a chain that kept rolling them down to another & another alongside Burke Rd. to the station wagon, the owner came back & the person (me) at the head of the brigade had to do some quick thinking which in that case was immediately climb a maple tree in this guy's front yard. OMG! He was walking around directly beneath me, talking to himself saying things like, "Those rascals, taking my pumpkins" whereas all of our gang was wondering if he'd ever look up. Lucky for me he didn't.
Robert Lowe
Doug and I were best of freinds growing up. We went through elementary, intermediate and high school together and remained good friends until the day of his tragic death in December 1972. It's hard to believe it has been almost 40 years since his passing.
He was a kind, sincere and honest man and he left us way too early. Many of his AHS classmates honored him at his funeral and based on the number of people that attended, it was a real tribute to how many lives he touched. He is still missed by many today.
Mike Lowe
Stephen Wendt
I have more comments re: Doug than anyone could imagine but let's start w/ this. How did he I become best of reinds? Answer: sports injuries. He blew out his knee after 16 consecutive wresting wins; I learned that I had a deformed spine ala x-rays after coliding w/ Bob Miller, Greg Lambert & at least another 600 lbs of meat under Coach Hardage. Real simple, Doug & I were on the outs...no sports, no revalry, no nothing. We were sports rejects that somehow found each other so that's when Mutt & Jeff met up & it stuck.
He was 212 lbs; I was 158. He settled things quickly; I opted for discussion/ negotiation. Doug was a no nosense guy; I was simply nonsense so the stage was set for a great, great friendship that only got more nonsensical. Why, I'm not sure from both of us but I would urge him to run his parent's car up on a skunk at night only for the skunk to spary their car irreparibly & me saying I didn't know that would happen w/ Doug taking the unexpected brunt. I'd suggest we go to the Burke graveyard w/ fellow female classmates for the fun & scary intrigue only for Doug, the driver, to get in trouble when the cops unexpectantly showed up (how would I know?). I like to think I was the idea man but in the end I think Doug was the reasonable man.
This chemistry conjured up many a laugh & practical joke. For example, Doug was PETRIFIED of snakes so when one of my special pet snakes unexpectatly died, I KNEW what I had to do...freeze it in a striking position & find a way to get it close to old Dougie. At that time I was driving my mom's 1967 Dodge station wagon that had this great feature. When you opened the glove box a little light would turn on so all I had to do was get that snake in the glove box, fake that I was lost in DC & beg Doug to get out the map to let all hell unfold. And it was so beautiful! As planned, I'm complaining we are seriously lost & we need to get out a map & Doug does so only to see that snake propped up there ready to strike & WOW! Oh WOW! Have you ever seen a 212-lb man do a double back flip over not one but 2 seats in 3 seconds? Well, Ladies & Gentlemen, that was a great gag & I was there to enjoy it in spades. He never knew what hit him when we became friends.
Someone once told me they recalled some crazed pair possibly having used pressurized fire extinguishers to spray unsuspecting pedestrians. I can't really remember if that happened or not but they surely did scatter when the trigger was pulled after spending so much time beforehand telling us how to get to some difficult-to-get-to-place like Key Bridge, creating tears of laughter like no other. These inocent, fun days are some of those I miss w/ our buddy Doug. He was so, so strong, so kind and fun to be with; he was the guy at the end of the joke who didn't need to say anything because he always saw it coming (except for the snake!). I knew him so. so well & was literally by his side to the end and miss him dearly, very dearly.
Steve Wendt
Michael Guthrie
Steve,
How could you talk about Doug and the alleged "fire extingushers" without sharing the best of all pranks that was played on our friend Duff. The night Mark thought you had been shot by Gary Lamb's dad and jumped out of Doug's car armed with only a fire extinguisher to then find you under the car. Doug was truly one of the good guys who exemplified a big guy w the softest of hearts. Those football games on the church lot up the street from Doug and the George's followed by soft ice cream from Hmmm, "what was the name of that ice cream place" were the best of Sunday afternoons.
Gary Lam
I'm glad Steve mentioned the station wagon or, as we called it, the War Wagon.
It's Halloween and Steve Wendt, Robert Lowe, Doug and myself were out playing Bowling for Mailboxes. We had headed to Burke and "removed" some unsold pumkins from a roadside stand. The wagon was full of pumkins and we were racing around in the cover of night nailing mailboxes.
Doug and I were in the jump seat facing backwards while Steve drove and Robert rode shotgun.
I was sitting on the tailgate facing forward with a pumpkin resting on the roof that was as big as Doug. A cluster of mailboxes was approaching and I launced the pumpkin at just the right moment. As I did, one of my butt cheeks unlatched the tailgate and I was left floating in the air. Steve and Robert were laughing so much they couldn't hear me screaming like a little girl. With my finger nails dragging in the paint all I could think of was how my head was going to explode like that pumpkin when I hit that pavement racing beneath me. Suddenly my hips flew forward and I was back in the seat next to Doug. In his usual coolness, he had reached out, grabbed my belt buckle and tossed me back in the seat...like a little girl. And again, in Doug's usual cool way, he looked at me and simply said, "So where you goin'?". I kissed him.
Doug left us all on a Friday night, if memory serves. I was awakened early Sat. with a knock on my dorm door. I was told I had a phone call. I went to the phone and Robert Lowe was on the line.
"I have some bad news, man. Doug is dead. Steve and Moo are in the hospital. It's bad."
I told Robert I was on my way home and hung up. As I was packing, I put on some music to try and process what was just said to me. Doug had become fond of the "Yes" album and I decided to put "Starship Trooper" on. To this day when I hear that piece, a smile comes to my face and water to my eyes.
Michael Guthrie
Paul Peters sent me an email yesterday asking how Doug died. Although Steve Wendt can fill in the details here is the short version of what was a tragic accident.
Paul, Doug died in a hunting cabin fire the fall of my 2nd year in college so, 1972. He, Steve Wendt, and Steve's brother Matthew were there when a kerosene lamp got knocked over. By the time they realized it was out of control the one door had swelled shut. Matthew and by some miracle Steve were able to get out a small window but Doug was just too big. Steve was badly burned and the story of his surviving is remarkable.
Judy Owen
I remember the pumpkin adventure! I was there. I remember laughing so hard that I thought I would wet my pants! We set up this chain and rolled the pumpkins to each other and loaded them in the station wagon. I think the next night with the left overs we rolled them back, just to mess with the guy's head. I also remember sitting on top of the railroad trestle at Burke and watch the train come around the corner and the headlight looked like the sun was coming right at you! We would all just go off about it....then one time the railroad police busted us! They let us go, but it was a little unnerving. I remember Doug's gentleness, and I remember how tight he and Mike Lowe were. Since we were all Young Lifers, I pray that in Jesus we will spend eternity together and this is just a blink of the eye.
Stephen Wendt
The Continental car Doug, I & Shulzy drove to Ocean City in was Doug Coghlin's dad's; the kind that was used in the Animal House movie's Road Trip where the back doors open toward the back.
The station wagon that might have been used (is the statue of limitations in my favor?) in the pumpkin episode alluded to above was gold Dodge station wagon owned by the Wendt family and dubbed the War Wagon b/c it had been in 13, yes 13, accidents/ fender benders as I and my siblings learned to drive and others just decided to hammer it. It alsways had a fresh coat of paint. But what has not been related re: the night of the pumpkin event alluded to above is as the "bucket brigade"of pumpkins were being rolled across the yard to the next person in a chain that kept rolling them down to another & another alongside Burke Rd. to the station wagon, the owner came back & the person (me) at the head of the brigade had to do some quick thinking which in that case was immediately climb a maple tree in this guy's front yard. OMG! He was walking around directly beneath me, talking to himself saying things like, "Those rascals, taking my pumpkins" whereas all of our gang was wondering if he'd ever look up. Lucky for me he didn't.