This is an article, not a true obituary from the Des Plaines newspaper. Wally died on Memorial Day, May 26, 2014.
In work, Franklyn Wallace "Wally" Douthwaite acted as city manager of Des Plaines, Wheeling and Wood Dale, among other places. In retirement, he played bridge, fished and watched a lot of baseball, rooting loudest for his Cincinnati Reds.
In Summerville, South Carolina, on Monday, he collapsed and never regained consciousness, his wife of 38 years, Nancy, said on Wednesday. Medical examiners believe he had a massive heart attack or a brain aneurysm, Nancy said. "It was such a shock," she said. "We were very happy here, and we loved it here."
The couple met while at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. His first city manager job took them to Greenacres, Florida, and later Gresham, Oregon, and Moline, Illinois, before he was hired in Des Plaines in 1993. He left in January 2001 for Springboro, Ohio, before being hired in Wheeling in 2002.
"It was a good career. He got to meet a lot of interesting people," Nancy said. "It was really rewarding for him. He really enjoyed his job." After he left Wood Dale, he retired, and the couple moved to the suburbs of Charleston, South Carolina, to a retirement community. "We've met a lot of people throughout his city manager career, a lot of fine people, and we still keep in touch with a lot of them," Nancy said.
People may pay their respects at a visitation set for 3 p.m. June 7 at the First Congregational Church of Des Plaines, followed by a funeral service at 4 p.m. Douthwaite is survived by Nancy, and two daughters Laurel, 28, and Christine, 24, both of Nashville, Tennessee.
Here is the official obituary:
F. WALLACE (WALLY) DOUTHWAITE, Fairborn HS Flyers Class of 1971
Wally Douthwaite, 60, of Summerville, SC, formerly of Fairborn, OH, husband of Nancy Twohig Douthwaite, entered into eternal rest Monday, May 26, 2014. Wally was born September 30, 1953, in Germany, son of the late Frank Douthwaite and Virginia Rich Douthwaite. He was preceded in death by a brother, Douglas Douthwaite (PH-75) in 1976.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Douthwaite of Summerville, SC; two daughters, Laurel Douthwaite and Christine Douthwaite, both of Nashville, TN; two brothers, Stephen Douthwaite (PH-73) (Cathy Eden, PH-73) of West Liberty, OH; and Robert Douthwaite (PH-74) (Sally) of Shepton Mallet, UK; two nieces, Cheryl Wade of West Liberty, OH; and Emma Douthwaite (FHS-2004) of Louisville, KY; three nephews, Jason Douthwaite of West Liberty, OH; Sam Douthwaite (FHS-2002) of Athens, OH; and Joe Douthwaite (FHS-2009)of Fairborn, OH.
A retired city manager, Wally received his Bachelor of Arts from Miami University and Master of Public Administration from Kansas University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and Kansas University City Managers and Trainees Alumni Organization (KUCIMAT). He enjoyed piloting small planes and watching the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
Contributions may be made in Wally’s memory to one of the following:
The Buddy Foundation (Pet shelter: all-volunteer and non-profit)
65 W. Seegers Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847)290-5806 or
The American Diabetes Association
P.O. Box 11454
Alexandria, VA 22312
http://www.diabetes.org/donate/
1-800-DIABETES
Visitation: Saturday, June 7, 2014, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Memorial Service: Saturday, June 7, 2014, 4:00 p.m.
First Congregational Church
766 Graceland Avenue
Des Plaines, IL 60016
(847) 299-5561
Reception: Following service
Condolences:http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailyherald/obituary.aspx?n=f-wallace-douthwaite-wally&pid=171167822#sthash.OuDXmogW.dpuf
Published: Chicago Suburban Daily Herald, May 30, 2014
Photo: DuPage Neighbor Daily Herald News
Dave White
It saddens me greatly to here of my friends passing. Wally, Doug Shively and Pat McCort and I spend many a day playing Euchre and having such great times together. The only time the four of us ever played hookie from school we got caught by my dad at Pat's house playing cards. We basically hung out from 9th grade through our Senior year. Unfortunately we lost track of Wally in all his moving around from City to City as Manager. He even was our City Manager for a year in Springboro. Wally was a true community servant and a great man. I am sorry we did not stay in touch!
Doug Schivley
I wanted to add a few things about Wally that Dave mentioned in his comments. We had the best time in high school (Dave, Wally, Skeeter, and me). Not only did we skip out to play cards but Wally was such a Reds fan that we would skip our Wednesday afternoon classes to make it to the Reds Businessman special. Then we would hustle back to school in time for baseball practice.
Wally was president of the Student Council our senior year and I remember the good times we had planning events for the school. I remember many of you who were members of Student Council.
Wally and I lived together our sophmore year at Miami University. He had transferred from Duke the previous year. We had great memories playing on the Sigma Chi softball team, frat parties, going to Florida to see Susie Henard, and coming home during the summers to hang out with Dave and Skeeter.
He had a great sense of humor and loved to be teased. He was deaf in one ear and I always made it a point to stand on his bad ear side. Like Mike Thomas said he was very concerned about other people. Some people thought Wally was a little reserved but it was only his defense mechanism for being a little shy. Once he got to know you he really opened up.
I'm sad to say that when Cathy and I got back from Florida this winter he had left a message on our answering machine. I failed to immediately return it. Don't be stupid like me and fail to call your loved ones.
Paula Bockstedt (Markus)
Wally moved to Fairborn from California in the ninth grade. He played clarinet and had always sat first chair. I had always sat in first chair at Five Points so the challenges began. Each week Wally challenged me for first chair, which made us both better players. At our spring concert we played a duet called "The Typewriter". It was a very fast piece where we imitated a typewriter. Well needless to say we brought down the house!Wally lived just a street lover from us in forest hills. His mom was a very accomplished harpist and I had the opportunity to hear her play before she got breast cancer. His family was again struck by tragedy his brother Doug got cancer. I was working in the lab at Grandview Hospital under the direction of Dr. Shapiro his oncologist. Wally's family rallied once again and donated a teaching microscope to the hospital in memorium to Doug and a special room was set up for the scope.