Douglas Cameron

Cameron, Douglas, age 77 of Sewanee, passed away on Thursday, May 22, 2025 at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. He passed peacefully with his loving family surrounding him. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ann Templeton Cameron, his siblings Bobby Cameron and Anne Cameron Barklis, his children and their spouses Handly and Leigh Cameron and Jenna and Ben Juday, and by five grandchildren Jewel Cameron, Dillen Cameron, Will Cameron, Kaila Juday, and Jevan Juday. He is also survived by numerous cousins, brothers and sisters in law, nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and nephews.
Doug was born on October 29, 1947 in Cincinnati Ohio to the late Dr. Ruth Anders Cameron and Benjamin Cameron, PhD. Doug grew up in Sewanee, graduated from Sewanee Military Academy in 1965 and then Harvard University in 1969.
As friends and colleagues alike have noted, Doug always had a warm smile and made everyone feel seen. He was full of stories and loved to listen to and play music. His "kindness and humanity were unparalleled".
Throughout his many varied activities, Doug was always a compassionate teacher and scientist. He taught both science and the humanities as a secondary school teacher, including at St. Andrew's-Sewanee School. He believed in supporting the growth and development of young people and taught, coached, and played outdoors with them whenever possible. He was the head of a summer school program there that brought together students from many different cultures. That work was recognized when he was named a "Hero in American Education" by Readers Digest. He coached soccer at both the high school and college levels and coached the canoe team at the University of the South at Sewanee.
Doug spent his summers over more than 40 years teaching girls at Camp Merrie-Woode in North Carolina to paddle canoes and kayaks on whitewater and to sail. Camp Merrie-Woode was Doug's "happy place" and its work promoting strong, vibrant women leaders was very close to his heart.
Doug was a dedicated outdoorsman and wildland conservationist. He was involved as a racer and organizer with whitewater racing, including a stint as the Chair of the National Slalom and Whitewater Committee. His work with Camp Merrie-Woode and throughout whitewater paddling earned him induction this past March into the Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame. In his "retirement", Doug switched to sailing and joined "Watertribe", building boats and competing in expedition-style races for hundreds of miles in Florida and North Carolina.
This May Doug had just completed 12 years of service on the Land Trust for Tennessee, an organization responsible for protecting over 137,000 acres of wildlands. In the 1980's he was the Executive Director of the Governor's Commission on Tennesseans Outdoors. He participated and supported the creation of hiking trails in Sewanee, including laying out the Perimeter Trail demarcating the University domain, and the creation of The Mountain Goat Trail for bike and foot traffic. In his younger years he had co-written camping guides and a guide to outdoor exploration in middle Tennessee, Under the Sun at Sewanee. He founded the outing programs at St. Andrew's Sewanee School and at the University of the South at Sewanee.
Doug was a dedicated public servant. He was an EMT (Captain) and taught emergency medicine basic courses as well as outdoor rescue through Wilderness Medical Associates all around the country. Doug was a volunteer firefighter for his hometown department that was dedicated to training as professionals. He served for over 50 years, most of them as Assistant Chief or Chief. He was instrumental in teaching student and community firefighters. Doug served on the Sewanee Community Chest and was active working for Housing Sewanee (a local organization that builds houses for those in need) both building houses and organizing.
Doug served on numerous other Boards and organizations serving local, state and international communities and supporting social welfare. Some of these include Blue Monarch (supporting women and their children recovering from addiction using faith-based programs), Cloud Forest School Foundation for the school in Costa Rica, the Sewanee Utility District (where they designed and implemented innovative sustainable filtration techniques), and Templeton World Charity Foundation.
When he was diagnosed with cancer last year, he shared a Wendell Berry quote which provides insight into how he looked at the world. "We must learn to acknowledge that the creation is full of mystery; we will never clearly understand it. We must abandon arrogance and stand in awe. We must recover the sense of the majesty of creation, and the ability to be worshipful in its presence. For it is only on the condition of humility and reverence before the world that our species will be able to remain in it". He graced this world with a heart full of love and a commitment to serving wherever a need emerged. Doug will be deeply missed. His legacy runs deep and wide.
There will be a Celebration of Life for Doug on Saturday, June 28 at 10am in Sewanee on the Quad next to All Saints Chapel and in Convocation Hall. Rain location is Cravens Hall. If possible, please share photos or stories and RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/DougRSVP
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Doug's name to Blue Monarch at https://www.bluemonarch.org/givetoday or to Housing Sewanee at https://www.housingsewaneeinc.com.
Moore-Cortner Funeral Home 300 1st Ave NW, Winchester, TN 37398, (931)967-2222, www.moorecornter.com