Douglas C. Lundgren, longtime resident of Samish Island, died March 3, 2021, at Skagit Valley Hospital of heart complications. The son of Clarence W. and Ada Pearl Lundgren, Doug was born on Feb. 16, 1937, in Aberdeen, Washington.
He attended school in Aberdeen, graduating from Weatherwax High School in 1955. He attended Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen for two years, earning an AA degree. Doug then attended the University of Washington, where he majored in history and secondary education. He took time off from his academic pursuits, driving truck for Railway Express Agency in Seattle, and, as he liked to say, playing golf and having other fun.
After two years in the work force, Doug decided to move to Bellingham in the fall of 1962 for completion of his college work at Western Washington University.
That fall, he met Laurie, the love of his life, on a blind date for Homecoming. Their first date was at the old Bellingham Yacht Club, now a waterfront building in LaConner, the longtime home of the Lighthouse Restaurant and Palmer’s Restaurant.
Doug earned a BA in Education from Western and started teaching and coaching at Nooksack Valley High school in 1963. In 1964, he married Laurie Lindsay from Anchorage, Alaska (previously a 17-year resident of Bellingham). They lived in Bellingham and then Everson for two years, gaining lifetime friends.
In 1967, Doug moved to Sedro-Woolley High School, where he taught social studies until his retirement in 1992. Along the way, Doug earned a Master’s Degree in secondary curriculum consulting in 1968 at Western and did additional postgraduate work at the University of Oregon.
While at Sedro-Woolley High School, he served as Social Studies Department Chairman for 23 years while teaching the spectrum of social studies courses, coaching cross-country, basketball and track, taking the 1970 track team to a sixth place trophy in the state track meet in Pullman. He often said how much he enjoyed working with ‘the kids’ (some now retired) outside of the classroom as well as inside.
Outside of work, and after retirement, Doug enjoyed boating, fishing, crabbing, gardening, and maintaining and improving their home. Other special interests included volunteer work, doing an occasional good thing for others, travel, genealogy, dining with friends, listening to a wide variety of music, reading, and maintaining an interest as a lifelong learner and observer of the human condition past and present. He so enjoyed his Samish Island Community. What a special place to live.
He is survived by his wife, Laurie of Samish Island and his sister, Edrie Harrington of Lacey, Washington. Doug is also survived by nephews: Gordon Harrington of Everett, Washington, Corkey (Pam) Lundgren of Logan, Utah, Kent (Adrian) Lundgren of Smithfield, Utah and Michael Lundgren of Albuquerque, New Mexico; nieces: Wendy (Kieran) Curtiss of Sierra Vista, Arizona and Robyn Cunningham of Albuquerque, New Mexico; aunt, Margaret Lundgren of Aberdeen, Washington and more than 20 first cousins and families of all the aforementioned. In addition, Doug is survived by very special “next generation leaders,” Godson Harlan Jeffrey Jackson of Vancouver, Washington and Mindy Anne Johnson of Kirkland, Washington.
His parents, Clarence W. and Ada Lundgren, both lifetime residents of Aberdeen, preceded him in death as did his brother, David; brother-in-law, Tommy Harrington; and niece, Sue Ann Harrington.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be sent in honor of Doug to: Samish Island Fire Fighters Association, 10367 Halloran Road, Bow, WA 98232 or Skagit Valley Hospital Foundation Cardiac Care Fund, P.O. Box 1376, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Share your memories of Doug and sign the online guest register at www.lemleychapel.com.
