Douglas L. Stohrer

Age 70, of Kalamazoo, died peacefully at home in his sleep on September 28, 2022. Doug was born on August 17, 1952, at Borgess Hospital to Richard and Maxine (Richman) Stohrer. He graduated from Kalamazoo Christian High School and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, followed by Western Michigan University, where he received a degree in Communications. He worked for some years as support staff at Borgess Hospital while pursuing his love of theatre. Doug was a mainstay of the backstage crew at the Civic Theatre for many years, and when he married Joan (Burton), the love of his life, their wedding was held onstage at the Civic, followed by a reception backstage. He worked as a crew member for the bands Sister and Sweet Maya, who played at their wedding.

Doug played football in high school and coached for many years at Kalamazoo Christian and Hackett Catholic Central. His interest in sports and fitness led him to the YMCA, where he developed an expertise in pools and became a Certified Pool and Spa Operator. When Doug and Joan moved to Hawaii in 2005, these skills enabled him to find a position in the Dept. of Parks and Recreation of the City of Honolulu where he worked his way up to supervisor, overseeing all the pools, fountains and water features on the island of Oahu.

When Doug and Joan retired in 2017, they moved back to Kalamazoo to enjoy life close to his family and the friends who were so important to them. His parents preceded him in death. Besides Joan, he is survived by his sister, Sharon Stohrer of Columbus, OH; and his cousins, Nancy Miller and her step-son, Beth McClanahan and her daughter, Merikay McLeod Lockwood, Joseph Stohrer and his children, Patrick (aka Pete) McLeod and his children.