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Douglas Alexander Stuart KING
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Douglas KING Obituary
Born November 28, 1944
Died November 1, 2025
On November 1, Douglas, (Doug) King died from prostate cancer at the age of 80, at his home in Alpena Michigan, USA. Doug was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. His father, a New Zealand doctor, Alec King, was stationed at RAF Leuchars Air Force Base near Saint Andrews, Scotland, during World War II and met and married his mother, Margaret Lawson, from Newport-on-Tay. Doug's first year was spent in Scotland, where his father joined the faculty of the University of Edinburgh. Douglas then returned to New Zealand with his parents via the Dominion Monarch, a troops and munitions merchant ship late in World War 2, where his father was the ship's doctor.
The family settled in Lower Hutt, where his father based his general practice at the corner of Knight's Road and Bloomfield Terrace. Doug then became the eldest of the five King boys and later a sister.
He attended Boulcott Primary School and later boarded for two years at Hadlow Preparatory School in Masterton. He attended secondary school at Wellington College where he boarded at Firth House. At Wellington College he displayed a gift for acting and played lead roles in the college productions of The Boyfriend and the following year The Government Inspector, both directed by Richard Campion. He remained active at Downstage, played rugby, and took boxing lessons at Koolman's Gym on Cuba Street. He mastered the guitar and played in the King family band!
He received encouragement to pursue a career in acting, but he had a lifelong desire to be a doctor and towards that goal attended the University of Otago where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. He also gained his pilot license at the Otago Aero Club.
Doug gained admission to the Dundee University Medical School, in the town where he was born!
He excelled at medical school. In his spare time, he joined the British Special Air Service (SAS), as a territorial, and participated in regular parachute jumps.
After graduation from medical school Doug joined the Red Cross and was posted as the Superintendent of a rural hospital in Angola, Africa. One of his many stories from that posting included a harrowing time when the hospital was commandeered by a communist battalion from Cuba, and Doug was held at gunpoint.
Concerned by the obstetric practice he observed there, he returned to New Zealand and completed a Diploma of Obstetrics at National Women's Hospital in Auckland. He then worked as a rotating house surgeon at Wellington Hospitals and spent from 1979 to 1984 doing general medical practice at Tararua Medical Center in Levin.
He obtained a license to practice medicine in the United States and while doing a locum in Alpena, Michigan, he met and married his wife, Anne. He opened and ran the Qwick Care Medical Centre in Alpena.
In 2001 he became the father of twin girls, Giselle and Lara King.
Retiring from the medical center after 30 years, he went back to doing locums in New Zealand and the United States.
Doug recently celebrated his 35th wedding anniversary with Anne. He was immensely proud of Lara and Giselle and took great joy in seeing them both graduate from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
Outside of medicine, Doug was a true thrill seeker. Whether scuba diving, bungee jumping, or flying a plane, he was always chasing his next adrenaline rush!
Doug was a loved brother and brother-in-law of Richard and Cheryl (New York), Andrew and Carey (New Orleans), Malcolm and Bronwyn (Christchurch), Alexander (deceased) and Linda (Hong Kong), and Margaret and Chris (Marton).
A New Zealand service is being planned to celebrate Doug's life and will be advised at a later date. Messages for the King family should be addressed to [email protected].
Died November 1, 2025
On November 1, Douglas, (Doug) King died from prostate cancer at the age of 80, at his home in Alpena Michigan, USA. Doug was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. His father, a New Zealand doctor, Alec King, was stationed at RAF Leuchars Air Force Base near Saint Andrews, Scotland, during World War II and met and married his mother, Margaret Lawson, from Newport-on-Tay. Doug's first year was spent in Scotland, where his father joined the faculty of the University of Edinburgh. Douglas then returned to New Zealand with his parents via the Dominion Monarch, a troops and munitions merchant ship late in World War 2, where his father was the ship's doctor.
The family settled in Lower Hutt, where his father based his general practice at the corner of Knight's Road and Bloomfield Terrace. Doug then became the eldest of the five King boys and later a sister.
He attended Boulcott Primary School and later boarded for two years at Hadlow Preparatory School in Masterton. He attended secondary school at Wellington College where he boarded at Firth House. At Wellington College he displayed a gift for acting and played lead roles in the college productions of The Boyfriend and the following year The Government Inspector, both directed by Richard Campion. He remained active at Downstage, played rugby, and took boxing lessons at Koolman's Gym on Cuba Street. He mastered the guitar and played in the King family band!
He received encouragement to pursue a career in acting, but he had a lifelong desire to be a doctor and towards that goal attended the University of Otago where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. He also gained his pilot license at the Otago Aero Club.
Doug gained admission to the Dundee University Medical School, in the town where he was born!
He excelled at medical school. In his spare time, he joined the British Special Air Service (SAS), as a territorial, and participated in regular parachute jumps.
After graduation from medical school Doug joined the Red Cross and was posted as the Superintendent of a rural hospital in Angola, Africa. One of his many stories from that posting included a harrowing time when the hospital was commandeered by a communist battalion from Cuba, and Doug was held at gunpoint.
Concerned by the obstetric practice he observed there, he returned to New Zealand and completed a Diploma of Obstetrics at National Women's Hospital in Auckland. He then worked as a rotating house surgeon at Wellington Hospitals and spent from 1979 to 1984 doing general medical practice at Tararua Medical Center in Levin.
He obtained a license to practice medicine in the United States and while doing a locum in Alpena, Michigan, he met and married his wife, Anne. He opened and ran the Qwick Care Medical Centre in Alpena.
In 2001 he became the father of twin girls, Giselle and Lara King.
Retiring from the medical center after 30 years, he went back to doing locums in New Zealand and the United States.
Doug recently celebrated his 35th wedding anniversary with Anne. He was immensely proud of Lara and Giselle and took great joy in seeing them both graduate from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
Outside of medicine, Doug was a true thrill seeker. Whether scuba diving, bungee jumping, or flying a plane, he was always chasing his next adrenaline rush!
Doug was a loved brother and brother-in-law of Richard and Cheryl (New York), Andrew and Carey (New Orleans), Malcolm and Bronwyn (Christchurch), Alexander (deceased) and Linda (Hong Kong), and Margaret and Chris (Marton).
A New Zealand service is being planned to celebrate Doug's life and will be advised at a later date. Messages for the King family should be addressed to [email protected].
Published by The Post on Nov. 8, 2025.
Memories and Condolences
for Douglas KING
1 Entry
Patty and Bruce Goldammer
November 8, 2025
May the love of friends and family carry you all through your grief. If God created the perfect doctor, it was indeed, Dr. Douglas King!Doug was our favorite Dr when we had him a couple times! Our 1st memory at his QUICK CARE!!! To Dr. King- our memories and how much we all love you will live on and carry your beautiful family -through these very tough times right now. WE ARE SO VERY SAD TO hear Doug has passed but we will always remember his huge smile- great clothes and please know -you were one of the original doctors from back in the day that never ever rushed you or made you feel like you were wasting his time. Ty Doug-for being there when we needed you.
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