Doug was born on August 5, 1943, to Otis and Vee Rose Anna (Thomas) Stithem at the Saint Anthony Hospital, Hays, KS. He died on February 5, 2025, at Ascension Saint John's Medical Center, Tulsa, OK at the age of 81 years, 5 months, and 30 days.
His parents named him Douglas after Douglas McArthur. Doug attended the Zurich Grade School and graduated from the Palco High School in 1961. During high school, Doug worked as a farm hand for Bob McClellan of Palco. Then following High School Doug attended a diesel mechanic's school in St. Louis, MO.
Following his schooling in St. Louis, Doug married Barbara Riffe on May 29, 1963, at Penokee Methodist Church, Penokee, KS. To this union one daughter was born, Shari Ann.
Doug was a hard worker. He worked for Henry Walz, a Case dealer, in northern Ellis County. Following this job Doug moved his family to Athol, KS, where he worked for another Case dealership.
From Athol, Doug moved to Smith Center and worked for the Ford dealership. Then he worked at Finkbinder's Retread shop.
Following these jobs Doug went to work at the Co-op Refinery, in Philipsburg, KS. He worked at the Refinery until it closed in 1982.
Farmland Industries, in Bartlesville, offered him a job working on their diesel trucks. He worked there until he retired.
On May 13, 1986, Doug married Carol Anno. They were married for 32 years when Carol passed away on July 25, 2019.
Doug enjoyed working on cars and raced stock cars while living in Kansas. He restored his dad's 1949 pickup and took it to car shows around Bartlesville. He also made a couple of cars from the tires up.
One of Doug's endeavors was raising rabbits commercially. He also enjoyed raising chickens and ducks. Over the years his companions were his cats and a couple of precious dogs.
Doug retired early because his body was tired. In March of 2018, he entered the Medicalodge Nursing Home of Dewey.
Doug was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Carol. He leaves to mourn his passing his daughter Shari and her husband Jay of Springfield, MO; his sister Scharleen and her husband Harry of Hutchinson, KS; and step-daughter Cissie and her husband Doug of Bartlesville; and three step-grandchildren: Austin and his wife Danielle of Montrose, CO; Jennifer and husband Timothy of Manford, OK; and Shelby of Bartlesville, OK.
Doug will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 08, 2025, at Dewey Cemetery in Dewey, OK. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home and Crematory Walker-Brown Chapel, 42901 Nowata Rd., Bartlesville, OK 74006 (918) 333-7665. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com
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