Deighton Whitfield DOUGLIN

DOUGLIN, Deighton Whitfield Our beloved Deighton Whitfield Douglin, "Papa Deighton", "Uncle Deighton", 95, of Monroe Street, Bridgewater, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2024, 17 months after the death of his wife, partner in missions and love of his life, Alice. He was in the presence of his devoted daughter, Doryce and his son-in-law, John as he took his last breaths.

Deighton was born on November 17, 1928 to Joyce Finks Douglin in Boston, MA and grew up in Lowell, MA, where he attended Lowell's public schools, graduating from Lowell High School in 1945 and then going on to pursue his thirst for education in the interest of service at Boston University, Providence Bible Institute (where he met his wife of nearly 70 years, Alice Miriam Wentworth) Taylor University, Denver Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Seminary.

Deighton married Alice in 1953 and soon thereafter, following French language training in Belgium and the beginning of a family, they began a long and fruitful ministry in education and medical care in Alice's Congo and elsewhere in Africa, working with the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society (currently World Venture).

Deighton and Alice helped raise a host of children in Congo while they were building their ministry, always focusing on the whole (spiritual, moral, and life-skills) well-being of those they served, starting with the "Ndoluma Kids", many of whom remember him as a life model.

Serving primarily as an educator and church and mission association leader, Deighton established schools in Congo, from primary and secondary to university. He served as legal representative for CBFMS mission in Congo and, as part of his outreach to the local community, served as President of the Lion's Club in the town of Goma, Congo, where the family spent most of his mission's tenure.

Deighton Whitfield Douglin is survived by daughter, Katy Doyen (Jean) of Ndoluma; sons, Jonathan Douglin (Mira) and David Tardif-Douglin (Catherine); and daughter, Doryce Wheeler (John); grandchildren, Christian Doyen (Natacha), Deighton Douglin, Alexander Doyen, Marie-Laure Doyen-Shah (Deepen), Anina Tardif-Douglin and Miriam Tardif-Douglin; and great-grandchildren, Johannes Doyen, Noemi Doyen, Ilan Doyen, Tecla Doyen, Elya Doyen and Lara Shah-Doyen.