Douglas Armstrong

Dr. Douglas Armstrong, age 70 passed away suddenly on October 20th 2023. Doug was born in Detroit Michigan, but also lived in: Fayetteville NY, Needham Mass, Arlington Heights Illinois, Pine Bluff Arkansas, and Frankenmouth Michigan before going to college at Murray State in Kentucky. He joined the Army and served in Honolulu after completing his nurses training in Georgia. Doug spent his adult life in Fayetteville Arkansas and then the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Doug was a lifelong student, culminating with completing his PsyD in 1997. Dr. Doug was a psychotherapist, but had also been an English teacher, carpenter, roofer, raft guide, and worked at mountaineering stores in Arkansas and California.

Doug's life was one big adventure. He became a father when he was basically still a child, he hitchhiked across the US, Europe, Northern Africa, and South America. He burst an eardrum snorkeling with sea turtles in central America, lived off the grid in a cabin in Arkansas, was a ballerina at the University of Arkansas, paddled, hiked and climbed countless mountains and rivers. He saw the Grateful Dead innumerable times and loved live music and attending shows with friends. Doug was in the delivery room when both his daughter and eldest granddaughter were born, and travelled to India and Australia to visit his granddaughters (and even braved Alabama, and Georgia to visit them as well). He traveled through Europe in much higher style on his second trip there, then he travelled through Asia proving that he could still travel on a shoestring budget. He sailed from California to Hawaii with a crew of two, and most recently, drove his truck solo down into Baja, Mexico to surf, ride his motorcycle, eat fish tacos, and drink tequila for his 70th birthday. Doug loved all of his modes of transportation, but he loved loved loved cars and loved the connection with people who shared that love. Doug loved being a therapist, but he worked just enough to have the money to have fun and eat well.

Doug started each day with a latte at Joe's Taco Lounge, followed by seeing patients, hiking or running on the mountain, tinkering with his cars, truck, and motorcycles, doing huge home improvement projects, organizing all of his toys and gear, a daily power nap or two, practicing his Spanish, connecting with family and lifelong friends across the country though texts and calls, having drinks with friends on his deck or in his workshop, giving treats to all of the neighbors' dogs, planning adventures, cooking delicious and artful vegetarian meals, going to concerts, and enjoying time with Robin. Sometimes all of these things in the same day. Doug was purposeful and orchestrated his life to be filled with the things he loved.

Doug was bossy, opinionated, generous, charismatic, and a loyal friend who literally gave the shirt off his back on many different occasions. Doug was a doting father and grandfather, always encouraging his girls to live life to the fullest, live with awareness, push the envelope, take the road less travelled, and when in doubt, exhale. He was the first to say, "Alleluia, Christ has Risen" on Easter morning and he had a six foot Buddha painting in his home. He wouldn't like the cliches and hyperbole this obituary, but that's okay bc he was my biggest fan in a billion other ways.

Doug was preceded in death by his father Donald Armstrong, mother Beverly Montague Armstrong, and sister Kathy Armstrong Racaniello. He leaves behind his partner of 13 years, Robin Dohrmann, daughter Jennifer (John) Finck, granddaughters Annabelle and Berkeley Finck, stepmother Peggy Armstrong, brothers Donald (Jessie) Armstrong, Patrick (Dorothy) Armstrong, Mike (Patty) Armstrong, along with so many other family members and dear friends.

He died riding his motorcycle, which he loved. And yes, he was wearing a helmet.

A celebration in honor of Doug's life will be held on his birthday, December 15th, at the Presidio Yacht Club at 6pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Heifer International, one of Doug's favorite charities. (he loved sending a random goat or flock of chickens for special occasions or to let you know he was thinking of you on a random Tuesday)

Fare thee well Dadly.