Hoyt Douglas

Pastor Hoyt D. Douglas, 93, completed his final flight home to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Born May 14, 1922, Hoyt served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942-45 as a radio operator, mechanic and gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. He entered the service as an Aviation Cadet and classified as a pilot. He received a medical discharge in 1945 while still in combat training. He was a graduate of Buchtel High School, attended the University of Akron, Clemson College and graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Pastor Douglas was a Church Planter and instrumental in bringing five churches to fruition, including (in this area) Broadman Baptist Church (he founded in 1951), Atwater Baptist Church in 1957 and Mogadore Baptist Church in 1967. Hoyt so enjoyed teaching his Sunday school class at Mogadore Baptist Church. His wit was part of his charm. After one of his lessons he asked the class, 'On a scale of 9-10, how would you rate me?' He truly enjoyed sports, but especially football (Ohio State) and golf. He had such great camaraderie with his golfing buddies on the course. One day he said, 'I think I'll intimidate my opponents and spray paint the head of my driver, gold.' In his later years, Hoyt began writing about his life experiences. After much insistence from his wife, family and friends to publish these stories, his book 'Hoyt's Stories' was born, thanks to the efforts of his daughter and son-in-law. On the day Hoyt was ushered into glory, he was told his book was on Amazon.com and would soon be available in the Kindle version. What wonderful news to his ears! Hoyt was preceded in death by his parents, Pastor C.J. and Helen (Hogan) Douglas, first wife Patricia (Mahoney) Douglas; brother Glen (Almeda) Douglas, sisters Lois (Harold) Davis and Faye Hill. He is survived by his wife Valene 'Todie' Murray Wagner Douglas, whom he adored; daughter Sandra (Larry) Dick; son Daniel (Paula) Douglas; his 'adoptive' children Elaine Davis, Dianne (Ron) Lowe, Daniel (Nancy) Wagner and brother James (June) Douglas. Hoyt was deeply loved by his grandchildren Shelly (David) Habecker, Melodie (Matt) Monberg, Mindy (Dan) Sohl, Jennifer Christensen, Jay Eckard, Mary, Troy, Gracie and Maxwell Lowe; twins D.J. (Hope) and Jake Davis, Mitchell Davis; Bella, Dallas and Lilah Wagner; great-grandchildren Caroline Tobin and Desta Monberg; Lucy Claire and Beatrice Habecker and Ava Rose Davis. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday evening, March 15, at 6:30 pm at Mogadore Baptist Church, 3750 Albrecht Ave., Pastors Rob Seymour, James Douglas (brother) and Missionary Larry Dick, son-in-law, officiating. Burial has taken place at Greenwood Cemetery in Mogadore. In lieu of flowers we request memorial gifts be given to one of the following ministries: Mogadore Baptist Church, 3750 Albrecht Ave., P.O. Box 126, Mogadore, OH 44260; Hospice Care Center, 3358 Ridgewood Rd., Akron, OH 44333, where the entire staff loved and cared for Hoyt as if he was their best friend in the world; Rio Grande Bible College, 4300 S. US Hwy 281, Edinburg, TX 78539-9650. The college is a ministry committed to training pastors, evangelists and missionaries for the global church. They also published, 'Hoyt's Stories.'