I have known Doug for 43  years. He was a loving Father and Grandfather.  I remember him making a doll house for the girls.  He put so much effort and thought into making this house.  He had no plans to go from, but with trial and error and suggestions from co-workers on what it needed, he completed the house made with LOVE.  I will miss him at our retirees luncheon, but will always remember his smiling face.  

I think Doughie ( that's what I called Doug) was one of the most caring and beautiful people I have ever known. We  had so many good time together it's hard to choose just a few. I think the times I enjoyed the most was when he would visit us in Wyoming and take his long bike rides. We would watch the Wyoming sunsets having a cold beer. Of course, we had many fun family nights around the Red Neck Life board game, I think back on and laugh. I loved him I will miss him, he was my true Friend!

Down-to-earth and always pleasant company, Doug shared several journeys with myself and other mutual friends.  He loved getting into nature, and his photo against the edge of a glacier certainly recalls exciting times with him.  While our interests were quite divergent, Doug was so easy-going that he could always find ways to entertain himself while others explored things of lesser interest to him.  Most importantly, he was the long-time faithful companion to a very dear friend of mine, and for that I will always be grateful.

We loved having Doug and KC visit us, especially in Arizona and Hawaii. All those years Doug was a joy to be around. We have a number of Doug’s beautiful photos that he enlarged and framed for us. There was always a special meaning in each of them. We also remember  the cookouts in his back yard. Doug always had a number of woodworking projects going in his garage. We loved the little red wagon for his first grandson and the lovely doll house he made for is granddaughter. He was a special member of the family and we miss his quiet kindness so much.

Like many others, I met Doug at Hazen Research. The year was 1980 and we spent the next decade working together. He was one of the best chemical analysts I have ever worked with in my 45+ year career.
More than once he (and Alan Willams) saved my job (which I very much needed) by covering for me when our project manager wanted to fire me for screwing up. A highlight during that time was building and running a chemical production plant at a remote site north east of Mexico City. Doug joined me on that operation doing an excellent job setting up the laboratory, providing training and conducting analyses under some very difficult conditions.
Working together over the years we found that we had much in common: daughters of a similar age, interests in skiing, rafting, Porsches (Doug would remind me of the correct pronunciation: por-sha!), and professional hockey. I fondly look back at the times we spent enjoying those activities. After I left Hazen, we stayed in touch for another twenty years.
Doug was kind, fun, capable and incredibly intelligent. He is tremendously missed.


I can echo the comments of my fellow Hazenites.  I worked there nearly 40 yrs.  Doug was the one you could always count on for answers or help, and always with a smile.  Will miss seeing him at the “retireds” lunches.  Wish we could have played more bridge.

Doug was a friend and co-worker for most of our lives.  He was unassuming and quietly competent in whatever he did, whether in laboratory procedures at work, downhill or backcountry skiing, snowboarding, or river rafting.  Somehow he was able to stay in better shape than people years younger than him (Alan can attest to this from several 10th Mountain Hut trips).  Doug and Priscilla came on several of our rafting trips.  Particularly memorable was a Green River, Utah trip where he served as "captain" of a raft manned by middle and high-schoolers. He directed operations from the top of the gear pile!
Our condolences go out to Priscilla and her family.  Doug was a unique person.  We will never forget him and the times he shared with us.

I was saddened deeply to learn that my old friend Doug had passed away. He was truly a "salt of the earth" kind of man with whom I was fortunate to cross paths with in this lifetime. I knew Doug through working with him at Hazen and skiing together in the backcountry surrounding his beloved 10th Mountain Association trail system, skiing hut to hut and sharing deep fellowship. We were, for a time, pals, roaming Colorado's fabled snowy mountains with good friends Rick and Bill. Doug was one of the most atletically fit people I've ever known, regardless of age (Doug was seventeen years my senior but you'd have never guessed) and this enabled him to enjoy life at its fullest. He was a first-rate gentleman with a wandering soul, always seeing the best in people and "paying it forward" every day of his life. I only wish I'd gotten to know him even better. 

If there is a heaven, a Valhalla, then it is undoubtedly filled equally by snow filled peaks to ski and wonderful, fresh blacktop on which to bike...each with plenty of friends to meet along the way. 

I'll miss you, Doug. Though we have not seen one another in far to many years, I speak of you often and can still hear your laughter.

We always saw Doug at the grandkids birthday parties.  He always had a positive attitude and was so easy going.  He did some amazing woodworking.  We were especially impressed with the doll houses he built for his granddaughters and a wagon and table he made for the grandsons.   One time he invited us cross-country skiing with the family to a cabin on the Continental Divide.  What a great experience that was.

We wish Doug's family Gods blessings during this time of sorrow.

In my first job out of college,  Doug trained me in efficient laboratory analytical techniques at Hazen Research.  He was friendly,  supportive,  and helpful and I remember those times fondly. We went on river rafting trips together.  Although my life moved on from Hazen,  I saw him at various gatherings. He was always friendly and enthusiastic.  We'll miss him at our periodic Hazen retiree lunches. 

OBITUARY

Douglas Neil James

12 September, 1944 – 2 May, 2021

Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services – Runyan-Stevenson

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