Douglas Blubaugh Obituary

December 31, 1934 - May 16, 2011 TONKAWA Douglas Morlan "Doug" Blubaugh, resident of Tonkawa, and former resident of Ponca City, a well known Olympic Gold Medal wrestler, passed away Monday, May 16, 2011, in Tonkawa as a result of a vehicle accident. He was 76 years of age. Doug was born December 31, 1934 in rural Ponca City, the son of Edward Raymond Blubaugh and Audrey Marie Blubaugh. He was a 1953 graduate of Ponca City High School and a 1959 graduate of Oklahoma State University. He was named the 1957 Collegiate National Wrestling Champion and three-time All-American at Oklahoma State University. While a student at OSU he was initiated as a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Doug was named to the TKE Hall of Fame, the world's largest social fraternity. A year before his Olympic conquest, Doug won a Gold Medal in the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, matching the 1955 achievement of his brother, Jack. They were the first brothers to capture Pan Am titles. He served his country in the United States Army and prepared for the 1960 Olympics by training at West Point. Doug was a 1960 Olympic Gold Medal recipient at the freestyle weight class of 160.5 which was marked as one of the biggest American wins in international wrestling lore. He was named the World's Most Outstanding Wrestler in 1960. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1979. He was formerly an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma, West Point and Michigan State before becoming head wrestling coach at Indiana University. Throughout his competitive career he totaled more than 400 victories against just 17 defeats. He had earned worldwide recognition for his accomplishments as a wrestler, as a coach and as a clinician of the sport. He continued to teach at wrestling seminars around the country. Doug always said he could do two things, coach wrestling and farm. He was always willing to help anybody that asked. He was someone who was great at working with our best athletes. He was probably at his best when he was working with the best. Doug's enjoyments were his family, wrestling and gardening. He is survived by his five children, two sets of twins, Dale Edward Blubaugh and wife Kenya, Bloomington, Indiana and Dean William Blubaugh and wife Teena of Gainesville, Florida; the second set of twins, Dann Morlan Blubaugh, Solsberry, Indiana and Dana Owen Blubaugh of Bloomington, Indiana; one daughter, Dawn Marie Blubaugh Hawkins and husband Steve of Gosport, Indiana; and ten grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Jack Lee Blubaugh, Dr. Edward Blubaugh, and Jimmy DeWayne Blubaugh. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, 2011, in the Worship Center of the First Baptist Church, 5th & Central, Ponca City, Oklahoma with Shelby Wilson and Clyde Glazner presiding. Burial will follow in the Tonkawa I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. Casket bearers will be his sons Dale Blubaugh, Dean Blubaugh, Dana Blubaugh and Dann Blubaugh, son-in-law Steve Hawkins and grandson Stevie Hawkins. Memorial fund contributions may be made to the Doug Blubaugh Scholarship Fund, Payable to the CFO - Ponca City Takedown Club, c/o Brian Anderson, 2429 Kingston, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74604. Doug's online guestbook may be signed at www.gracememorialchapel.net

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Published by Oklahoman on May 20, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Douglas Blubaugh

12 Entries

Troy McHugh

April 15, 2025

I had the great privilege of training under Coach Blubaugh. I would travel up to his camp in Indiana during the summers. He came down to Florida and put on a clinic for my high school my senior year. He stayed at my house because my dad was the head coach. He taught me so much about wrestling! I ended up winning the Florida State Championship my senior year. But what I learned most from Coach Blubaugh was about life. He told me to not worry about whether you win or lose when you go out onto the mat for your wrestling match. He told me to go out there and to put my opponent through hell so he never wanted to wrestle me again. Well of course that´s a metaphor for life. I´ve tried to live my life that way. Give everything that I care about my absolute best effort, let go of the expectation, focus on the process. Coach Blubaugh had an unbelievable impact on my life and I´m so grateful to have had a small time with him. Though my time was small, his impact was large and his lasted to this day. Miss you, Coach.

Landon Cash Blubaugh

March 28, 2025

I was born right after he died in December of 2011

Travis Smith

July 22, 2011

Doug was my best friend, my mentor, like a member of my family.. For the last 10 years of my life Doug has been the one guy I could say something to and get an honest opinion out of him from outside my family.. Doug took a vested interest in me and my wrestling career.. He offered to get me into schools, and train for the Oylimpics.. I neither had the time or was to trepidations to try it. He spent countless months, days, nights, hours, you name it at my house. I was his home base when he came out to Ohio. We broke bread together, worked on things together, plotted strategy, and revived my passion and new found coaching career. I owe more to this man than I have and could ever express. He made me laugh, had me in the palm of his hand with his stories, and his quest for knowledge was never ending. He was a major big on getting an education, working hard, and overcoming everything.. He fought wars both at home and abroad, wrestler and military man. He loved.. He lost.. He came back time and time again like a true competitor. Every day of his life was a competition. His health was an every day battle.. Sleepless nights.. Late night dinners and channel surfing.. But he kept pressing forward.. Sitting around with him and my father, talking about wrestling and life was a joy and pleasure.. He longed for good honest friends, a decent pay day, and the love of his family. I feel Doug wouldn't have changed most of what he'd gone through because it was what made him who he is, although there were a few things if he could only tell you personally he could.. It wouldn't have been much.. I've always and until the day my time comes, I will continue to boast about him and the stories he shared.. Because although I was 4x his junior he made sense to me.

Walter Jenny

May 23, 2011

I knew Doug through our fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon. He exemplified the fraternity's ideals of Charity, Esteem and Love in everything he did. He has been an inspiration to our alumni as well as our younger members as they work their way through college. We were honored to be able to add him to our TKE Oklahoma Hall of Fame last January. What a character! He will be missed.

Brent Biddle

May 22, 2011

I am a better man today because of all the love and butt whoopings on the mat with Doug. He was like a second father too me and always had time for me even years after I was gone and no longer wrestling. Today there are 3 beautiful blonde young ladies in the world and if it not for Doug indvertingly introducing me to my future wife....they would never have been. I will miss that man with the hard shell about him and the heart as soft and pure as gold. I love you coach!!!

Brent Lee Biddle

Herb Donica

May 20, 2011

I have read many articles over the past few days about Doug Blubaugh; most of them focusing on his athletic skill and coaching successes. I had the privilege of being a member of the Indiana wrestling team, 1971 - 74. Unfortunately, I did not possess sufficient skills to be successful as a collegiate athlete. Even still, Coach Blubaugh had a major impact on my life as he taught me how to be a man. He treated me and every other team member with the same level of respect. He was a true mentor and a friend. He led by example and always made his expectations clear. Every young man who had the same honor as I in spending time with Coach Blubaugh benefited from the experience in that he grew a person and learned how to conduct themselves with honor, dignity and self-respect.

I especially enjoyed the stories that described Coach Blubaugh's efforts to help others. He was a tremendous influence on many and not one of us could have had a better friend.

To Coach Blubaugh's children: As an adult, I can count on one hand the number of people who had a positive influence on my life, changing the course of what could have been. Of those, your father was one of the most important. Be assured, I am only one of many. You have much to be proud of. Cherish your memories and legacy.

Yours,

Herbert R. Donica, Tampa, Florida

May 20, 2011

As a freshman walk on, I wrestled for Coach Blubaugh at IU in 1973-4. My varsity letter is one of my proudest achievements. I will always thank him for that. He was also just about the toughest guy I ever met, and I mean that in a good way. May God bless him and his family.

Bob Pell
Brazil IN

Mike Wolinsky

May 20, 2011

Doug Blubaugh touched my life as a sophomore at Indiana University when I was assigned the task of publicizing the Indiana wrestling program. I worked with him for three years and he took me under his wing like part of his own family. Doug went out of his way to call Ohio University on behalf so that I could pursue a Master's Degree in Sports Administration. He was all that was good about coaching and how he treated people. I always appreciated the fact that he was so humble and had a terrific work ethic. I am a better person today because of my time spent with Doug.
My condolences to the Blubaugh family. May Doug's memory be forever a blessing!

Rod Chamberlin

May 20, 2011

I wrestled for Doug at Indiana, and he was a great man, coach, and friend. Without question or debate, Doug was absolutely the best clinician. He had a knack for breaking it down and showing the proper technique. I loved you Doug, and you will be missed.

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