Douglass Wallace Svendson Jr

Douglass W. Svendson, Jr. passed peacefully on Sunday, March 26, 2023, surrounded by many family members at the Baton Rouge General Hospital. Doug was a native of Baton Rouge, born in 1939. His first marriage was to Emily Allendorph, and they had two sons, Douglass and David.

Doug attended University High School in Baton Rouge, was a graduate of Notre Dame and earned his J.D. degree from LSU Law School. He began working at City National Bank in Baton Rouge as a trust officer and was promoted to assistant vice-president, and trust officer.

In 1974, Doug relocated to the Washington, D.C. area. There he met his second wife, Dorothy “Dot” Turnipseed. He became a legislative assistant to then Senator Russell Long, and served on the staff of the Senate Commerce Committee. Before entering the private sector, Doug served as an independent legislative consultant for major tank barge operators and several motor freight associations, concerned primarily with federal environmental proposals, transportation fuel excises, and inspection standards, as well as carrier rate and tariff matters, which directed him to his next project. In 1995, Doug was named executive director of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, a job he enjoyed and performed with a full and extensive history of expertise, receiving the Commanders Award for Civilian Service from the Army, and the Distinguished Public Service Award from the U.S. Coast Guard, which is the highest award presented by the Secretary of Defense to private citizens.

Doug heartily enjoyed his big family of ten siblings, his sons Douglass and David, and his granddaughter Maya Svendson, and grandson Matthias Junod Svendson. He also loved traveling with his wife Dot on painting excursions along the east coast. His love of hunting brought him regularly to the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay, and down to South Texas for annual hunting trips with close friends. He relished joining family gatherings at the Svendson Rice Farm in Louisiana where he could sit and partake in family traditions of cooking, sharing stories, and hunts. Doug loved to laugh, he loved to cook, and he loved being at home, surrounded by family.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Douglass W. Svendson, Sr., and Jeanne Martin Svendson; his sister, Jeannette Svendson, brother Lee Svendson, his son, Douglass, and most recently by his loving wife, Dot.

Doug is survived by his first wife, Emily A. Svendson, and their son David Svendson, David’s wife, Sarah, and two grandchildren, David and Sarah’s daughter Maya and the son of Douglass, Matthias Junod Svendson; his surviving siblings and their spouses are: Alice Svendson, and her husband Jerry Waldman, Marie Svendson Pribble, Teen Svendson Siener and her husband Bob, Kris Svendson Chadwick and husband Bill, Jeffery Svendson and wife Lue, Toni Svendson DeBosier and husband Mark, Martin Svendson and wife, Moo, Lawrence Svendson and his wife, Katy; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

A small, family service will be held for Doug at a later date.

Honorary pall bearers will be: David Svendson, Jeffery Svendson, Toni Svendson DeBosier, Martin Svendson, Lawrence Svendson, Matthias Junod Svendson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 7023, Merrifield, VA, 22116-22116-7023, or the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692.