Douglas Webster Speed Sr.

Douglas W. Speed, Sr., passed away on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, after a long and brave fight with Alzheimer's. Doug was born to George and Mary Speed, in Chattanooga, TN and moved with his family to Jacksonville, FL as an infant. He and his identical twin brother Gordon were the youngest of five children. The stories he shared about growing up in Jacksonville were legendary and always bigger than life.

He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School, where he excelled at sports and won several City Football Championships. While attending Andrew Jackson Doug met the love of his life M. Shuri McCullough.

Doug graduated from the University of Florida, with highest honors in Mechanical Engineering and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Before graduation, he and Shuri were married, starting their life together. Doug's career took him to Baton Rouge, LA with Standard Oil Co. and then to Huntington, WV where his responsibilities took him all over the U.S. Eager to return to Florida, Doug pursued a career change that would allow him to spend more time with his growing family. Returning to Jacksonville in the 1960s, Doug spent 45 years counseling clients in financial and estate planning.

Doug cherished his wife, children and family. He spent his life making sure we all traveled and saw the world. Whether it was traveling throughout Europe, Africa or the Pacific, or even some of his more far flung adventures with his brother Gordon along the old Silk Road, the Northwest Passage, or Cairo to Cape Town, he enjoyed every minute of it. His love of North Florida and the bounties that both the ocean and woods provided was something he pursued with a passion. He instilled his love of the outdoors in his children, whether it was a day spent seine fishing, shooting quail, stalking pheasants or braving cold weather, which he detested, to shoot ducks. When responsibilities limited his children's availability to hunt and fish with him, he found an ever willing companion in his wife Shuri.

He was very active in many civic, social and educational associations including The President of the Jacksonville University Council, President of North Florida Safari Club, Area Chairman of Ducks Unlimited, Wild Turkey Federation, The National Rifle Association, the St. Augustine Rod & Gun Club, the St. Andrews Society and the WWII Museum. He served on both the Atlantic Beach City Council and Ponte Vedra Municipal Service District. He was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church for over 50 years and served as Scout Master, Deacon, Elder and Trustee.

Doug was preceded in death by his wife Mildred Shuri Speed, his parents George and Mary Speed, and his siblings George, David, Gordon and Mary Helen Steinhauer. He is survived by his children Stacy Manges (Karl) of Vilano Beach, FL, sons Douglas Jr. (Shelley) of Atlantic Beach, FL and Gordon (Kim) of Alexandria, VA and five grandchildren of Douglas III, Richard, Mary, Raleigh and Collins.

Please join the family for a remembrance and pig roast to be held on March 5th at 2 pm at Valley Smoke, 11 South Roscoe Boulevard, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082