Douglas B Stangle

December 29th, 2015

I was very sorry to hear of Doug’s passing. I enjoyed singing and playing music with him at song circles. I also ran into him at bookstores where he was looking for fishing books. He was a friendly guy, and his music will be missed.

~Margie
~Friend, Palatine, IL

December 16th, 2015

I have many memories of Doug from different phases of my life. When we were children, we’d spend a week every summer visiting our Stangle relatives all over Chicago. Doug was larger-than-life to a 10 year old boy. He had many hobbies and talked about fishing with passion and experience. He once took me out onto Lake Michigan to go fishing and I watched him reel in a couple of smallish fish. Even the small ones give him joy.

As I moved into my 20s, he once came out to Colorado and we drove to Aspen to fish the gold medal waters of he Frying Pan river below the Reudi Reservoir outside of Basalt. The waters were teeming with 12-20″ trout and there were so many that you could see them swimming by your legs. It was there that I learned from Doug that catch and release is often better than catch and keep. That catching the fish is what it was about, and then returning it so that someone else could catch it.

As time went on, Doug was always part of our family. In my mid-30s, my entire family went to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with the Stangles. This was our first time spending a winter holiday in Chicago, and it was a very special time to share that with them. Shelley and Doug were warm and welcoming. One thing I remember vividly about that trip was Doug taking me into his study, getting out his banjo, and wailing on it. I really didn’t appreciate his level of talent until that point, but, wow, was I impressed. What talent. I still am to this day.

After their father passed away at a young age, was there for Doug, helping raise the youngest of the Stangle siblings, and they always had a special relationship. I know that she will miss him intensely. Our entire family sends our thoughts to Shelly, Lauren, Greg, Liz, and Laura.

~Loren Sylvan
~Doug was my uncle, Denver, CO

December 14th, 2015

Doug was a nice man who played a mean acoustic instrument,be it guitar,banjo or mandolin. He was there bigger than life. I will miss him.

~Carl Gurnicz
~friend, Antioch il

December 14th, 2015

Doug was a musical friend at the Grayslake music jams. I am shocked and greatly saddened to hear of his sudden passing. As a fellow enthusiast of bluegrass music and the banjo, I will remember him as a dependable presence at our musical fellowship. As an ordained Christian minister, I was impressed by the warmth and appreciation Doug showed toward me. I extend my deep sympathies to his family and friends.

~Rev Matthew Kowalski
~friend, Park Ridge, IL

December 14th, 2015

While Doug and I never worked together, he was always a gentleman willing to network for anyone in transition. My sympathy to his family.

~Dave Kinsella
~Network contact, New Lenox, IL

December 14th, 2015

Doug was a South Shore High School friend. He was a great guy. My Sincere condolences to his family.

~Dave Delott
~friend, Appleton, Wi.