Douglas
Dornan
Douglas
(Doug)
Dornan, 74,
passed away
peacefully
in
Pittsfield,
Massachusetts
on Jan. 25,
2020. He was
born on
September
19, 1945 in
Glens Falls,
New York.
Doug earned
his
Bachelor’s
degree at
Niagara
University,
where he was
president of
the student
council. He
then earned
a Master’s
degree in
Social Work
from
Columbia
University,
where he was
very
active in
the
anti-Vietnam
war
protests,
eventually
occupying
university
administration
buildings.
His career
took many
turns but
the common
thread is
that he
sought to
consistently
make a
difference
for those
who were
vulnerable
and often
unheard. He
was an early
advocate for
the civil
rights for
those with
disabilities,
demanding
that each
person be
treated with
respect and
dignity. He
worked as a
community
organizer in
Coney Island
and the
South Bronx
areas of New
York City in
the 1970s.
In the 1980s
he served as
the
Executive
Director of
the AIDS
Resource
Center
fighting
homelessness
among men
living with
AIDS and was
pivotal in
founding the
first
supportive
housing for
AIDS
patients in
the nation.
In the 1990s
he served as
the
Executive
Director of
the New York
State
Conference
of Mental
Hygiene
Directors
where he led
a campaign
that
generated
landmark
legislation
earmarking
funds from
the closing
of state
psychiatric
institutions
to fund the
large-scale
expansion of
county and
local mental
health
services
across the
state. As a
research
scientist
for the New
York State
Department
of Mental
Health, he
focused on
the factors
influencing
mental
health
recovery.
Doug brought
the same
passion and
zest to his
life outside
of work. He
was an avid
Yankees fan
and a loyal,
though
frequently
disappointed,
Knicks fan.
He loved
thoroughbred
horse racing
and was
ever-optimistic
and
surprisingly
successful
with his
occasional
horse-betting.
Spending a
day at the
Saratoga
Springs race
track was
one of his
favorite
summer
pastimes. He
loved folk,
jazz, and
blues music
and welcomed
any
opportunity
to sing.
Woodie
Guthrie was
especially
dear to him.
He was
trained as a
carpenter
and had a
deep
appreciation
of fine
woodworking.
He was
well-read
and
intellectually
curious,
with deep
knowledge of
current
events and
politics.
Doug’s life
story is one
of bravery
and dignity
often in the
face of
tremendous
adversity.
As a
survivor of
child abuse,
buffeted
among
multiple
foster
homes, he
worked from
age 10 as a
paid farm
hand to earn
room and
board. He
put himself
through
college. He
lived his
entire adult
life with
mental
illness that
both fueled
his
brilliance
and
professional
accomplishments
but also
fractured
many
relationships
in his life.
In spite of
his
challenges,
he touched
the lives of
many who
cared for
him very
deeply.
He is
survived by
his
daughter,
Devon Winey,
son-in-law,
Jeff Winey,
and
grand-daughters
Emma and
Abigail
Winey, of
Melrose, MA.
He is also
survived by
many
siblings
including
Joyce
(David)
Wilbourn of
MA, Barbara
Merriman of
NY,
Claudette
Leach of FL,
and Terry
(Gene)
Thiboult of
FL, Bonnie
Brown of
Flint MI,
and Greg
Brown of CA.
He is
predeceased
siblings
Deanna
Herrod of
AL, Beverly
Graham of
CA. and
Patricia
Sargent of
FL.
A private
memorial
service will
be held at a
later date.
Nothing
would make
Doug happier
than to see
a change in
our current
political
environment.
In lieu of
flowers,
donations
can be made
to the
Movement
Voter
Project, an
organization
supporting
grassroots
organizing
in swing
states in
the 2020
election, https://movement.vote/funds/big-5-battleground-fund.
Class of
1963
Red
Rose List
Tributes Index
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