Frank Douglas Dubrouilet - “Doug“
Doug was the much loved, only child of Lucille and “Frenchy” Dubrouillet. As the son of a traveling salesman, Doug spent much of his life moving around. He moved from state to state and school to school until he left for college. Doug liked to claim that he studied “debauchery” at Indiana University rather than what he actually studied in which was “business.”
Through a friend in the military, he met his first wife Cynthia Dubrouillet in 1969 and together they had two children… Susanne and Mark. The marriage wasn’t one that could be called a “match made in heaven”, but two wonderful kids did result and thus it was meaningful and certainly purposeful.
With his young children, Doug was an involved father. He enjoyed fishing and hunting and being outside. He introduced his children to the natural world through early morning fishing trips, sunrises, wildlife viewing and quiet contemplation. Doug also loved sports and had his daughter playing softball at the age of 4. Doug and Susanne bonded through softball. He attended every single one of her softball games through the 12 years that she played. With his son, Mark, it was soccer. He encouraged his son to play well and, as with his daughter, he never missed a game.
Doug worked as a stock broker and never truly embraced his career choice. He always regretted that he hadn’t followed his true passion to become a writer or a teacher.
When his first marriage finally crumbled and he had had enough of being a stock broker, Doug began upon a new path. It was a healing path. He let go of alcohol on January 22, 1987. He attended daily/weekly AA meetings. He made new friends and spent a few years focusing on himself and re-creating himself as a sober man, a healthier man. This was not easy. It took incredible strength, courage, discipline and time. He remained sober for 24 years.
Doug’s life blossomed upon meeting JoAnn McClellan while living in Panama City Beach, Florida. JoAnn was the minister at Unity Church – where Doug was a member. The pair fell in love and married in 1997. Doug often joked that the “minister of Unity church attacked him.” With JoAnn, he was welcomed and embraced by a new family. Doug found great joy in JoAnn’s children - Sue, Joe and Tim, their spouses – David, Soni, Patty and their children…Zeb, Angela, Samuel, Kevin, Karen and Megan
Doug, JoAnn and their beagle “Bruno” decided to explore the idea of travel in 2000. JoAnn took a 2 month sabbatical from Unity Church. They bought their first slide out camper, loaded up Bruno and headed west. They visited Arizona, California, and Canada. They traveled through the most majestic landscapes and along what Doug would call “oh shit roads.” These roads were fantastic not only because of the scenery they wound their way through but also because they had steep drop offs on either side… hence the “oh shit” exclamation. Doug conquered a great fear by learning to navigate these roads but only with the blinders JoAnn fashioned to fit on either side of his glasses. Despite these obstacles, Doug saw the majestic western landscape and he felt something had awakened inside of him. He fell instantly in love with the breathtaking western U.S. and soon a plan was devised to see more and to do more. I guess you would say they caught the “travel bug.”
JoAnn retired in 2003. They, once again, loaded up the rig and took off to explore some more - this time with their traveling companion “Fillmore” a standard poodle The threesome found great joy in traveling together for five months in this fashion. They drove all the way to Alaska and back. After this endeavor, it wasn’t surprising to hear that they decided to set their minds toward traveling full time in an even bigger rig.
With the big rig purchased and rigged, the trio planned to set off for a full time life of RV’ing. Unfortunately, both Doug and JoAnn received their respective diagnosis of cancer. After a bit of treatment, they set their minds to going anyway. Doug always said “Live life now, not next week.” Away they went.
From the spring of 2007 until May 2011, Doug, JoAnn and Fillmore traveled to whatever destinations met their fancy. Doug began blogging for the RV community and soon found that he had a great many followers who enjoyed his outlook and his perspective on writing. Many found comfort in seeing the way Doug and JoAnn chose to really life rather than to toil away waiting for the evil cancer to take its toll. Doug was called “an inspiration.” He puzzled over such a claim but loved it as well. Through travel and socializing with the close-knit RV community and then writing about his “learnings” and “profundities,” Doug found true happiness. He was living the life he knew he was meant to live.
This past May closed Doug, JoAnn and the famous Fillmore’s travels. Doug’s cancer had developed beyond treatment and the quality of life had deteriorated. The rig and its travelers returned to Panama City Beach for Doug to start preparing for his last and final stage of his worldly life.
With just enough time to eat some ice cream, read, write and spend time with his wife, children and with his family, , Doug took care to convey what was most important to those closest to him.
Doug left this life on August 5, 2011. He left so many who are really missing him and a few young family members – Marcos, Jenna and great grandchild Stetson-who didn’t have enough time to know him well.
Doug is still traveling, I am sure. He’s likely wearing the gaudiest clothes and grinning the goofiest smile and moving ahead with LOVE. For it is LOVE, afterall that brings us all together and it is LOVE that will, of course, keep us moving ahead.