Douglas Lewis Manship, Jr.

Douglas “Doug” Lewis Manship, Jr., a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed peacefully on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, surrounded by family after a long and courageous journey.

Born into the fourth generation of Baton Rouge’s first family of media, Doug helped steward the legacy of Capital City Press and Manship Media, the family enterprise that shaped local journalism through The Advocate, WBRZ-TV, and WJBO Radio.

Manship earned a degree in radio/television speech from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He served as editor of the school newspaper, The Vermilion, during his senior year.

During his career at The Advocate, Doug gained experience across the breadth of the newspaper’s operations. He worked in advertising, the press room, and as director of promotions before becoming the paper’s first full-time Washington, D.C., correspondent. He later served as news features editor, spent more than a decade as an editorial writer, and became the first director of online operations in the late 1990s. In 1999, he was named publisher of The Advocate, a role he held until his retirement in 2007. Under his leadership, the paper modernized its production, replacing its old presses with a computerized center on Bluebonnet Boulevard that later moved to its current home on Rieger Road. Doug’s steady hand and forward-looking approach helped ensure that the family newspaper kept pace with technological change while remaining true to its journalistic mission.

Alongside his brothers Richard and David and his sister Dina, Doug carried forward a tradition of civic responsibility and community service rooted in the vision of his grandfather and father. He and his siblings extended this legacy through a transformational gift to the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, establishing the Douglas Manship, Sr.–Dori J. Maynard Chair in Race, Media, and Cultural Literacy, and through many other philanthropic endeavors.

Doug is survived by his loving wife, Dianne Manship; his cherished daughter, Julia Manship Gay, her husband Cameron, and their son Logan; his stepson, Kirk Fisher, and wife Michelle, and their children Claire Fisher Hebert and husband Christian, Sydney Fisher, and Grant Fisher. He is also survived by his brothers David Manship and Richard Manship and wife Claire, and his sister Dina Manship Planche and husband Patrick. In addition, he is survived by his sister-in-law Margo Delaune and husband Owen; his grandchildren Jeremy Beasley and wife Samantha, Lauren Masserek and husband Collin; and by his nieces and nephews Jake Manship, Leigh Ellen Planche, Dennis Planche, Hunter Manship, and Paul Kadair. He was preceded in death by his parents, Douglas L. Manship, Sr., and Jane French Manship. The family offers special thanks to his extraordinary caregivers Lizzy Poole and Rosie White for their remarkable care and support.

Beyond his public life, Doug will be remembered most as a quiet, thoughtful, and generous man. An avid reader and lifelong lover of music, he found joy in the songs of Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffett. In his younger years, he explored the depths of the ocean as a master scuba diver, drawn to discovery and adventure, and paired his journeys with a passion for photography.

Doug’s greatest devotion was to his family. His wife, Dianne, was his unwavering companion and caregiver, embodying a love that only deepened as his health declined. Doug’s selflessness, generosity, and gentle spirit touched all who knew him. He gave fully of himself to his family, friends, and community. His legacy will endure not only in Baton Rouge’s civic and cultural life but also in the hearts of all who were fortunate to love him.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Visitation from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. Private services will be held for the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made to the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, LSU Foundation for Manship Excellence Fund, 3796 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802, in honor of Doug’s life and legacy.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com