Donald Douglas (Doug) Monroe, 91, of Romeo, died Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. He was born July 6, 1928 in Gary, Ind. to Catherine and Donald Monroe. On June 19, 1954, he married Eleanor (Nan) Johnson.
Doug graduated from Lew Wallace High School in Gary, where he played basketball, played in the band and was a member of the ROTC.
After high school, he joined the U.S. Army and started as an “acting jack”, because of his ROTC experience. He was deployed to the Occupation of Japan after World War II in October 1946. Following two years of service in the Army, Doug used his GI Bill benefits to attend Hope College in Holland, Mich. His college days were interrupted in 1950 when he was deployed to Korea for the war effort.
After his tour in Korea, he returned to Hope College and completed his degree in mathematics. While there, he met his future wife, Eleanor (Nan) Johnson. After college they moved to Mount Morris where he was employed by General Motors as a production engineer.
He was an active member of Parkland Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder, Sunday School teacher, sang in the choir and coached basketball. After a transfer to the General Motors Technological Center in Warren, they moved to Romeo, where Doug continued to serve the church and the community. He was an active member of the First Congregational Church, a founding member of the Romeo High School Booster Club, a Little League coach and served for several years on the Romeo District Library Board. He played on a volleyball team until he was 83.
In recent years, he was a member of St. Thomas Community Presbyterian Church in Shelby Township where he served as a Stephen Minister. Nan and Doug enjoyed travelling throughout North America, Australia, and Europe; and to their special spot in Molokai. They embraced every opportunity to include stops along the way to meet friends or family for a quick visit.
Doug considered his family to be his greatest blessing. He and Nan would often have what they called a “Tim Horton’s Moment” to celebrate a family member’s achievement or special day.
Doug is survived by his wife Nan; four children, Martha White, Mary (Mark) McMinn, Matt (Debbie) Monroe and Mae (Woody) Lawson; fourteen grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his two younger brothers, Jack Monroe and Dave Monroe.
Services were held Tuesday, Dec. 3.
