LeeRoy J. Douga

Informing all who knew and loved him. On August 7th 2020 LeeRoy J. Douga left this world for his Heavenly home. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at Gatesville City Cemetery.

LeeRoy was born December 29th 1930 in Grant, Louisiana the first child of parents, Vilmore J. Douga and Lorece M. Douga. He grew up in southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas around Orange Tx. At fourteen he started to work to help support the family. He worked at many different jobs eventually joining the U.S. Army in January 1949 and being Honorably discharged in October 1949. This led to many years of work for multiple companies as a welder mostly in ship yards in the Orange, Houston and Corpus Christi areas. He became very skilled as a welder, often winning bets with new hires for beer money welding two halves of a beer can back together to make it hold water. He was told by several of his bosses he could weld everything but a broken heart and the crack of dawn. Later he ended up in New Mexico welding in the construction of nuclear power plants then in North Carolina welding nuclear subs. During this time, he had the first of two children Debra Lee Douga in July 1959 with his second wife. Eventually ending up back in Southeast Texas, working the ship yards there. In 1970 he met his third wife Ann Marie Berry. They were married on November 6th of that same year. Having his second child Shane Lee Douga in October of 1971. He then left the ship yards to find more stable employment. He worked security and as a grocery store assistant manager in Orange, TX. Eventually moving the family to Jasper, TX working security at Rayburn Country Resorts. In 1978 he started working for the city of Jasper as a meter reader. Leaving there in 1985 to move the family to Gatesville to work for the Sheriff's office, first as a dispatcher and jailer then as a Deputy under Sheriff Gerald Kitchens. Sheriff Kitchen hired him after hearing him speak, he liked his deep clear voice and said it would be easy to hear when dispatching officers. He enjoyed this job most of all and would often talk about his time there.  In 1990 he moved the Family back to Southeast Texas to be closer to his and his wife's parents. He worked as a deputy for Newton County under Sheriff Powell. Eventually ending up back in Jasper as a Reserve Deputy for the county there while working security for Mary E. Dickerson Hospital. At 62 he retired moving once again back to Gatesville in 1999. He lived here till his death.

LeeRoy was preceded in death by his father Vilmore Douga, mother Lorice Markum, stepfather Raymond Markum, brothers Jimmy, Bobby, and Billy Douga.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ann Douga; children, Debbie Kinard, Shane Douga; brother, John Markum; sister, Lenora South; six grandchildren, Tonya Aston, Jennifer Lee, Chris and Jimmy Beltran, Raymond and Adam Douga; 12 great grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren, plus numerous nieces and nephews and last but not least Sam his furry partner in crime!