Douglas M. Card

August 16, 1942 – November 12, 2022

Douglas M. Card

Doug passed away at his home at age 80, surrounded by his immediate family and his younger brother Bruce and sister-in-law Sue, from heart disease.

Doug grew up in Pardeeville, Wisconsin, a small rural town. At age 8, his mother had a stroke so he and his sister, Claudia, took on many family duties. He enjoyed reading and playing games and sports. After high school graduation, he signed up and served in the Marine Corps. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton and was able to go to several Asian countries in the Far East.

After discharge, he came home and became a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the local lake during the summer. He studied and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with degrees in Japanese Studies and English.

He met his wife, Carolyn Date, in Japanese language class and, from their sophomore year, were together ever since. They married and headed to the University of Washington in the fall, where he continued his education in Japanese Studies. After 3 years, they moved to Tokyo, Japan and taught English as a second language.

Three years later, they returned to Seattle and had two sons, Jason and Ryan. Seven years later, they again went back to Japan and Doug continued to teach English. His third son, Eric, was born near Tokyo, where they lived in Japan for 9 more years.

They returned to Seattle and he taught Japanese at Franklin High School for 17 years. He loved teaching and often gave up his lunches and time after school to students who wanted to improve their grades.

After retiring, he continued to be a voracious reader, go kayaking, play lots of pocket pool, and take road trips around the country. Maui eventually became his favorite place to vacation.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Card and Achsah (Falconer) Card, and his older sister, Claudia. He is survived by Carolyn, his wife of 54 years; his sons Jason (Miho), Ryan (Stella), and Eric (Brenna); his grandsons Akira, Haru, and Mugen; his brothers Bruce (Sue) and Walter John (Kim); and his nieces and nephew.

He protected us and taught us the importance of a responsible work ethic. He will now guide us from above.

The ceremony and burial was on November 25, 2022 at Tahoma National Cemetery.