Douglas Shackelton

1940 - 2020 Doug Shackelton died suddenly at his home on November 27, 2020. He was 80. Born in Madison, Wisconsin, he was the first child of Kathleen and Clarence W. Shackelton. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1964 with a degree in Urban Planning and soon followed his high school sweetheart Barbara to Riverside, California. They married in Madison in 1964. Arriving in Riverside, Doug was hired as an urban planner for the City of Riverside, and in 1971 he became the City's first Redevelopment Director. He was instrumental in the City's purchase of the Mission Inn, saving it from the wrecking ball in 1976, and then managing the historic hotel before its eventual sale. He became a partner in the J.F. Davidson engineering firm as a land use consultant and continued a private consulting practice until he was 77. Doug loved Riverside and because he believed that volunteerism made a healthy community, he selflessly gave his time and talent to several groups: the Kiwanis Club of Riverside (58-year member; president 1992; historian to the present); the Raincross Group (President 2020); the Riverside Art Museum (Board member, longtime chair of Building and Grounds Committee that is committed to the upkeep of the Julia Morgan structure); Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful (Chair 1995-1999); the Riverside Downtown Partnership (Chair 2002), Young Life volunteer auctioneer, member of St. Andrew's Newman Center Catholic Community. His many contributions to the Riverside community include: developing city zoning ordinances, planning and implementing the Riverside Auto Center, planting trees as a volunteer, developing large and small housing developments and businesses, initiating the sponsorship of Longfellow School with Kiwanis (where he played Santa for 25 years), creating the Concerts at the Courthouse series, and starting the first Mission Inn Run. Doug was honored for his tireless efforts: The Roy Hord Volunteer of the Year (2005); The Jack B. Clarke Good Neighbor of the Year, City of Riverside (1996); The Riverside Art Museum Top Dog Award (2016). Doug was an avid fan of Laker basketball, Wisconsin Badger football, and the Green Bay Packers sometimes traveling to Green Bay from Madison to watch team practice. He loved flowers and gardening, planting at every season in his huge back yard; building with wood; restoring vintage automobiles; and reading history. He spent summers with Barbara in his beloved Wisconsin on Mercer Lake in the Northwoods, where he was also involved in local politics and projects. Doug was appreciated and loved by many friends in the Riverside community. And he treasured his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Barbara (Hauptmann); a sister Julie Jonas (John), Madison, Wisconsin; daughters Ann Shackelton, Santa Barbara; Mary Shackelton (Gareth Richards) Boulder, Colorado; and Karen Lindwall (David), Riverside; a son Timothy (Shawn), Scottsdale, Arizona; and by seven grandchildren: Ruby, Evan, and Joy Richards, Annabelle and Julia Lindwall, twins Jake and Max Shackelton. A private service will be held for the family; a virtual memorial is being planned. Doug will be inurned in Evergreen Cemetery, Riverside. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, 92501; Young Life, P.O. Box 547, Riverside 92502; or Pride Pads Africa, P.O. Box 17453, Boulder, CO, 80308.