Douglas John Caruso

Doug was born to Roy and Hilda Caruso of Vancouver BC. He attended Vancouver Technical School, where he formed friendships that endured throughout his life. During the summers, he worked a “character-building” summer job with the Canadian Pacific Railway, on a train that travelled through the Rockies as far as Winnipeg. Perhaps it was this regular crossing through Canada’s scenic landscapes that led to his love of geography and eventually, urban planning. He then completed a degree at UBC and went on to graduate studies at the University of Minnesota. Moving to Minnesota would also lead to an exceptionally good blind date. Doug and Anita fell in love after a hockey game, hot chocolate, and a live recording of Fiddler on the Roof. Doug spent an extraordinary amount on postage for daily letters to Anita that eventually led to a proposal. (She said yes.) Newly married, Doug accepted a job at Penn State and they moved to State College where Jen was born. However, Doug was a Canadian at heart and they relocated to Windsor Ontario, in 1974. In 1980, Christine was born – during a historic blizzard. During the 38 years he spent working as an urban planner to make Windsor a liveable city for all, Doug also taught at the University of Windsor and Wayne State. Caruso vacations, often to see family located throughout the world (Minnesota, Mexico, and Europe) were also slanted towards a planning perspective, As Doug often said, “if cities were perfect, we wouldn’t need planners.” Visiting only the parts of cities most in need of planning finally led to Anita putting her foot down, suggesting that the family see also the beautiful parts of cities. This meant Paris.

After retiring, Doug volunteered abroad through CESO|SACO. Together, he and Anita traveled to the Philippines on three occasions to create community master plans for municipalities. Doug and Anita traveled extensively, unable to resist the opportunity of a new adventure. So often, in fact, that friends jokingly suggested they might be spies. Those who spent time with him knew he was never short of words when it came to politics or national identity. He was happiest walking along Vancouver Island’s Long Beach with his family or taking scenic drives through Essex County. Doug’s life can be defined geographically; the relationships he formed defining the paths he traced across the world.

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Died suddenly January 26th 2015, at Windsor Regional Hospital (Ouellette Campus) with his beloved wife Anita by his side. Loving father of Jen Caruso and Graeme Stout of Minneapolis, MN, and Christine Caruso and Derek Koenig of Toronto. Survived by many relatives throughout Canada, Mexico and the United States. Doug worked for 38 years for the City of Windsor as an urban planner, a city he loved and worked hard to make a livable place for everyone. Doug was past president of the Ontario Planning Association, member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and a member of the American Planning Association. Throughout his career, Doug taught urban planning at the University of Windsor and Wayne State University. After retiring, he, with Anita, completed three volunteer assignments in the Philippines through CESO/SACO. Many thanks from the family to the care teams at the intensive care unit. A memorial service will be held in the chapel of the Walter D. Kelly Life Celebration Centre, 1969 Wyandotte St. East (519-252-5711) on Friday, January 30, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. Cremation has taken place. In kindness, memorial tributes to the Y.M.C.A. of Western Ontario would be greatly appreciated as your expression of sympathy.