John M. Douglas

A Funeral Service for John Douglas of Roseau, MN will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 2:00PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will take place at Pinecreek Cemetery. Military rites provided by the Roseau Memorial Honor Guard.

John Macfarland Douglas Jr. was born on July 29th, 1942 to Mary Edwards Douglas (Sumner) and John M. Douglas Sr. in Omaha, Nebraska.   Growing up, John spent summers in northern Wisconsin with his family swimming, sailing, fishing and water skiing.  After graduating from Central High School in Omaha, John joined the Navy in 1962, spending his active duty in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.  John later returned to Japan as part of an exchange program, cementing his lifelong interest in the country and people.

After his time in Japan John returned to Omaha, meeting his future wife, a farm girl named Margie Gail Haugen from Roseau, MN.  They were wed in Omaha on April 22nd, 1967.  Visiting Margie’s family in Roseau county, John thought it was so much fun to drive tractor and work in the fields that in 1968 he bought his own place near the Haugen farm in Pinecreek.  John and Margie farmed full time, growing small grain and beef cattle while raising their family there.  In 1986 John decided to branch out and start a furniture store in Roseau called, ESAM.  It was at this time that he and Margie “moved to town” building a new network of friends of neighbors.  John ran the furniture store while continuing to farm until 1994 when he returned his focus to farming.

In later years John always enjoyed watching his grandchildren’s activities and sports.  Halloween was his favorite holiday, terrorizing generations of children in his neighborhood.  He liked doing anything outside on the farm, building deer stands for his grandkids, planting trees, mowing, and cutting firewood.  He enjoyed swimming, sailing, and woodworking.  Combining both hobbies, he built almost a dozen sailboats for his grandchildren.  John enjoyed making cheesecakes which he shared with friends and families.  Never doing things halfway, he also got into making bird houses and feeders, building hundreds of them over the years that he donated for various causes.

John Douglas passed away on February 20th, 2024 at the age of 81.

John is survived by sons Eric (K.C.) Douglas, Aaron (Christa) Douglas, and Michael (Misty) Douglas.  Grandchildren: Madison, Kaia, John, and William Douglas; Jacob, Adam, Mason, and Ben LePard; Sophia, Grayson, and Jaxon Douglas; Mackenzie Douglas. Sister Rachel (Matt) Kelsey.  He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and many friends.

John is preceded in death by his wife Margie; two daughters Sara Jane LePard and Lora Leigh Douglas; brother George Douglas; and parents John and Mary Edwards Douglas.

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