Dr. William Keith Douglass
Posted By Kyle Nikola On November 17, 2017 @ 10:13 pm In Obituaries | 24 Comments
Dr. William Keith Douglass died on November 17, 2017, after a long and courageous battle with prostate cancer.
Keith was born and raised in Harrisburg, Pa., but he spent the greater part of his life in Savannah. Starting his long academic career in a four-room (six grades) red brick Riverside Elementary School, he proceeded to graduate from William Penn High School, accompanied by a wonderful group of alumni with whom he was fortunate to maintain life-long friendships. Keith grew up in the Presbyterian church, where he was encouraged to critically evaluate, rather than blindly accept, the tenants of the faith. This led naturally to the empirical approach to psychology which he began studying at Franklin and Marshall College. After receiving a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Syracuse University, Keith accepted a faculty position in the Psychology Department at Armstrong State College in 1970, where he established the “Rat Lab” that is still in existence today.
He taught psychology at Armstrong for thirty-seven years full-time, followed by a few years part-time. During that time, he received many departmental and collegiate awards and accolades for his contributions to the academic program. He particularly enjoyed teaching research methods and statistics, and spent much of his time working one-on-one with students involved in their own research projects. He was in touch with many of his former colleagues and students up to the time he took his last breath, which is a testament to the mutual respect, admiration, and love they shared for many years.
When he wasn’t teaching, Keith enjoyed participating in triathlons (134 of them to be exact) , a sport which, in his words, required little in the way of coordination, of which he had little, and a lot of persistence, of which he had a fair amount. He also had a life-long interest in model railroading, a hobby inspired by his growing up in the busy railroad town of Harrisburg.
Keith is survived by his loving wife, Becky. Keith’s and Becky’s individual experiences with cancer helped them appreciate how wonderful the rest of life could be, and how lucky they were to have each other while fighting the disease. Among many things they enjoyed together was travelling. They rode trains throughout Alaska, Colorado, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Scotland, England, and Wales; travelled to China and climbed to the top of the Great Wall; to Peru, and hiked Machu Picchu; and to Russia and Italy.
Keith is also survived by his sons from his first marriage to Virginia Cupp Douglass: Jeffrey Keith Douglass (Mary) and Timothy William Douglass (Elizabeth) and his three extra wonderful grandchildren, William Kelley Douglass, Sara Ault Douglass, and Ella Virginia Elizabeth Douglass; Becky’s children by her previous marriage, Rachel and Joseph Wilson; his brother Kent and his wife Becky and their children and grandchildren, all in Texas; and innumerable dear friends.
A celebration of Keith’s life will be held on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at 2:00 in the afternoon, at Skidaway Island State Park. Keith requested that any remembrances be made to the Friends of the East Broad Top Railroad or to Hospice Savannah.
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Condolences for the family of “Dr. William Keith Douglass”
My condolences to Keith’s family and his friends. I was a classmate of his. He was a super great man and I am glad I got to see him at the luncheon he attend this summer. My prayers and thoughts are with you all. RIP Keith.
Rest In Peace Dear Friend. So many great memories growing up in Harrisburg. You will never be forgotten. My prayers are with you and your entire family.
Friends Forever and Tigers Forever.
Bobby Snyder
Manhattan Beach, CA
My condolence to the Douglass family he will be missed by the William Penn family.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of the family, especially you, Becky. Keith was a wonderful, caring, helpful man. He will be missed. Love you.
So sorry to hear of Keith’s passing. Wishing you lots of courage in this difficult time. We loved Keith’s unstoppable fight to enjoy life and loved training with him a couple years ago.
Becky and family,
We are so sorry for your loss of such a kind and gentle man. I have fond memories of our time spent on the dance floor. Keith was dedicated and determined and a sheer pleasure to teach. He was my only student that would remove his shoes, so carefully place the laces inside of each shoe and neatly put them under his chair. I will think of Keith each time I untie my shoes and too, carefully place the laces in each shoe and neatly put them away.
Dianne
Keith was a wonderful professor who inspired many students throughout his distinguished career. He was a man of integrity and one who, at a time when anonymous student evaluations could have deleterious effects on a faculty member’s career, was unwilling to compromise on the standards he held for his students. I feel certain that his many successful students know how well this approach has served them in their subsequent lives.
I spoke with him a few days before he passed away and I was once more reminded how grateful I am for the time we spent together while we both served at AASU.
I am a former student. Dr. Douglass gave me a job in the beloved “rat lab”, and he was very kind to my family, helping me find low-cost surgery options for my mother, for example. I once mentioned that if the rat lab paid more, I would stay after graduating. Dr. Douglass responded, “If it paid more, I would want it, and I’d get it: I have a Ph.D.” Unforgettable.
I enjoyed working with Keith at Armstrong, and I have missed him since his retirement. During a faculty meeting, he said something that has always stuck with me. As his colleagues discussed their busy schedules with all the meetings they had to attend, Keith raised his hand and said, “The most important meeting we attend on this campus is a class.” That statement was one example of his commitment to teaching and learning. My prayers go out to his family.
To Becky and all of Keith’s family,
I was so sorry to hear the news of Keith’s passing. Keith was a wonderful colleague, both at Armstrong and on the trails in the Skidaway park, and I will miss very much his sage advice and colorful stories. My thoughts are with you.
To his students, colleagues, and friends, Keith always spoke his mind, and fortunately for all he had a brilliant mind. My thoughts are with you, Becky.
Fond memories of working with Keith over the years.
I knew Keith while I worked in the IT department at Armstrong. I recall him walking by one morning while I was showing off my one year old daughter to several women in my department. Besides myself, Keith was the only one in the group who could hold my daughter without her fussing or crying. He and I got a kick out of that. For a few moments, the encounter became somewhat of a humorous experiment. He always seemed upbeat and purpose driven and I enjoyed working with him over the years. My condolences to his family. RIP Keith.
I was very sorry to hear of Keith’s passing. A wonderful colleague and a genuinely decent man. My condolences to his family. I am fortunate to count him as my friend.
I was incredibly fortunate to join the Psychology Department at Armstrong. For many years before my arrival, Keith worked hard to instill in the faculty and students a love of science and learning. He mentored many faculty members in and beyond the Department, and helped to bring out the best in me as an academic administrator. Thank you, Keith!
Becky – Keith was so happy when the two of you met and then became a couple! I wish I had told you much sooner how happy he was when you became a part of his life. I am so happy that he had you with whom to share so much. My heart breaks for your loss, may you be comforted by his love and your many memories together.
Becky, I am so sad that you (and we) lost Keith to this dreadful disease.
He was such a kind and gentle man. We are so glad that you had that wonderful time together which leaves you with so many sweet memories. My heart goes out to you at this time but I know also that you are surrounded by love and support.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Becky and the entire family of Keith. He was a very special person and will definitely be missed by everyone. Keith and I ran several road races together throughout the years. What an athlete he was! He was so polite, understanding, and extremely smart. I loved seeing him around the Armstrong State University as well. I am so sorry I will no longer see him. May you rest in peace, Keith. Love, Faye
Kirschner
I grew up down the street from and was best friends with one of Dr. Douglass’s sons. I was over at their house many Saturdays, and my memory of those days is of Dr. Douglas either working on his famed VW Bus or inside building his model trains, usually with a basketball game playing on TV. He had a “shop” full of tools where he seemed to always have some sort of project in mid-completion. (It was also open to us, so that was the place to go when we needed to fix our bikes and skateboards.) Whatever it was he was doing, though, he would take the time to explain it if you asked him about it. So you could always expect to learn something from him, that was part of the fun of going over there.
I was sorry to hear of his loss. May he rest in peace.
Keith’s sense of humor is what we will miss the most. I always enjoyed watching him tease Yassi. He knew how to do it without being mean.
Keith once gave our boys a book that included all the train museums and train rides in the US. He inspired years of trips and side-trips from here to New England, and participated in a memorable camping/railway trip to the South Carolina Railway Museum. He was a good friend and colleague, and most importantly, a great influence on our sons.
Keith was my father, Stu Worthington’s, colleague and friend for many years. I will never forgot Keith’s kindness and love for my dad during the last years of his life. Friendship is true when we show up for one another in good times and in bad. Keith showed up. I know he will be missed and I know he was loved. Just the mention of his name always brought a smile to Dad’s, my mother’s and my face. I will always remember him fondly. My condolences to Becky and all who loved him and will miss his presence in their lives.
Keith was an amazing man. He was an amazing teacher and mentor. I was a student in 1993 and had the honor to have him sit in my dissertation board for my Ph.D in 2003. I took him 4 wheeling above tree line in Colorado in 2000 and he was amazed at the view. I truly loved him and will miss him. Always a student, forever a friend. Su
My condolences to Dr. Douglas family.Insee now,my condolences are late.Dr. Douglas was aprofessor of mine while I was pusuing a BA inpsychology at Armstrong.His classes were the ones I looked forward to the most.He was brilliant,and his knowledge of his chosen discipline was encyclopedic.I lost touch with him after I graduated.The decrees ofbthe courts in the early 1980skept me from following a career in psychology.One of the program administrtators I applied to finlallybtold me”I would love to hire you.You are by far the best qualified applicant we have had.I cant becausebthe courts have decreed my next hire must be a black woman”.I thanked her for her honesty,and began a career in yachting.Needless to say,the episode left me alittle bitter.I wish now,I hadkeptbinntouch with Dr. Douglas,but I have keptbhis zeal for science,and honest inquiry into the ubknown.I am sorry foryour loss,and feel privileged to have known him
W Scott Gibson BA psychology Armstrong State College 1979
I am so sorry for your loss. Dr. Douglas was a huge part of my life while I was studying for my Bachelors in psychology.I g,raduated in 1979”..I applied,for every entry level mental health job,I was qualified for.I got lots of interviews,but no job.Finally one program administrator called me at home after my interview.
She said”we lovedyour interview,you are by far the best qualified candidate.I would hire you today if I could,but I can’t.The courts have ordered me to hire a black female for that job,regardless of qualifications,or fit.So,you ,as a large white man must be passed over”.I thanked her for the call, and hung up.Needless to say,I am bitter about losing a career in mental health due to afffirmative,or”State sponsored racism” as I prefer to call it.It was,and is racial discrimination,there is nothing,”reverse”about it.I had complied with the stat’es so called “Merit system” for state hires.I had taken the required exam for the positions,I was applying for.That same kind administrator had told me” We are required by state law to interview he top 10 scoring applicants on the state exam.You the number1 score in your test group.Inwould have interviewed you anyway, after talking to you on the phone”.The GA legislature had created the “Merit System”, to curb what was rampant nepotism in State hires.And then,aa couple of I’ll advised,and arguably unconstitutional federal court decisions dismantled it.So, I am sorry for your loss.Keith was a man of dignity,and conscience.Above all,he was a man of science.I valued the classes,I took.from him.I even enjoyed “Learning308”,which was reputed to be the hardest course on campus at the time.
sincerely,
W Scott Gibson
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My condolences to the Douglass family. I knew Keith through The Learning Center. He was a man of science, humor, and conviction–and I respected and enjoyed him for all three. Among the seniors, he was a role model and a friend. We were fortunate to be enriched by your life experiences and perspective, Keith. Thank you.