Obituary of Michael Allen Douglas

Surrounded by family and holding his wife’s hand, Michael “Mike” Allan Douglas passed away on February 15th, 2023. He was born on June 20, 1942 in Newberg, Oregon, to Loran Douglas and Lois (Mason) Douglas. That was the beginning of a very long, productive life.

He attended Newberg High School and excelled in both academics and athletics. Mike was a three-sport letterman participating in football, basketball, and baseball with a spattering of other sports thrown in (like wrestling) when needed to field a team. Besides sports, he enjoyed theater, choir, and student government. He was elected president of the student body during his senior year, 1959-60.

Oregon State University was his school of choice; however, he confided in his Granddaughter that he was originally heading to Eugene to study chemistry but made a right turn to Corvallis instead. With an interest in chemistry his obvious choice at OSU was to enter the school of pharmacy. Mike also enrolled in ROTC and joined the Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity where he was elected president his senior year.

During his college years he met the love of his life, LaWauna Lyle and they married in the summer of 1964. Mike completed his fifth year at OSU and graduated in June 1965 with a Pharmacy degree. For the next two years, the young couple were stationed in Neu Ulm, Germany where he satisfied his commitment to the army using his pharmaceutical knowledge in the Medical Evacuation Division and where their first child, Laurie, was born in July 1967. When his tour of duty ended, the family returned to Oregon and settled in McMinnville where he was employed with Thrifty Drug. In 1970 was a big year with a move to Newberg, the birth of their second child, Michael, and LaWauna and Mike opening Mike’s Medical Pharmacy which served the community until Mike retired in 2014. The family settled in Newberg, first on Willow Drive where Kristin was born in 1974, before moving to a 9-acre farm off Anna Drive on Parrett Mountain where Craig was born in 1977.

Mike’s personality was contagious; he never met a stranger. Every person in the world, to him, was just a friend he hadn’t met yet. He always saw the good in people. Sometimes, that’s all he would see, even if no one else could see it, and it drove his community activism. Mike was very active in the two communities he loved - Newberg and Pharmacy. Mike was involved with civic organizations like Kiwanis and served as President of the Newberg Chamber of Commerce for which he was recognized as both businessperson and citizen of year. Mike gave back to Newberg as an athletic booster, supporting Newberg athletics by founding Little Guy Football, raising funds for weight rooms and ultimately the stadium project at Loran Douglas Field. Somehow, he also found time to give back to his pharmacy community.

Mike participated in the teaching programs at Oregon State and Pacific Universities to help students better understand the complexity of pharmacy and relationship between the patient and pharmacist. In partnership with a dear friend, Mike co-founded Tri-State Pharmacy Coalition to support independent pharmacies. Mike served as President of the Oregon State Pharmacy Association and was awarded the Bowl of Hygeia for outstanding civic leadership. In 2013 Mike was honored as an Icon of his profession by Oregon State University’s School of Pharmacy for all his contributions.

Mike loved ALL sports and in the fall months could be found chasing his English Pointers and pheasants through the fields throughout the Northwest. The annual hunting tradition began with his father Loran when Mike was young and was later passed down to his sons.. Aside from all his interests and passions, what truly defined Mike was family. When his kids were younger Mike spent countless hours coaching and volunteering for various youth teams and events. After the kids grew up and started families of their own, Mike enjoyed above all else the time he spent with his grandkids. He and LaWauna spent countless hours watching flag football, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, basketball, lacrosse, skiing and attending choir concerts and plays. He loved it all! The grandkids also spent a lot of quality time with Mike and LaWauna in Sunriver, enjoying winter days chauffeuring the kids up to the slopes and summer bike rides to the pool and Goodies for ice cream.

Mike is survived by his wife of 58 years LaWauna, and their children Laurie, Michael, Kristin, and Craig; sisters, Paula Dungan, Lynn Remley (Tom), and their children; sons-in-law, Paul Barton, Scott Pohlschneider; daughters-in law, Jeni Geiger Douglas and Mackenzie (Schaefer) Douglas; and grandchildren, Bailey, Katie, Laura, Ethan, Jacob, Justin, Zachary, Boden and Beckham. Husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, uncle, pharmacist, coach, mentor, and friend, Mike touched many lives.

The family will be hosting a celebration of his life at Chehalem Glenn Golf Course on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, and so that his legacy lives on, please consider donating in Mike’s name to Newberg Boosters at www.newbergboosters.com