Peggy Maxine Douglas, age 82, passed away peacefully Saturday, July 20, 2019, in her favorite chair in her favorite room in the house she built with her favorite man 44 years earlier in Fieldbrook.

Peggy was born on August 21, 1936, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Vivian & Max Uhlig. She and her mother moved to Southern California in 1943 to rejoin her father, who had gone ahead months before to support the war effort as an accountant for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft.

Growing up in San Fernando proved to be joyful. She won a swimming competition in the 20-foot freestyle (yep, 20 feet) for beginners, was a Girl Scout, a talented student, and a contestant in the 1954 San Fernando Fiesta Queen competition.

In September 1954, her parents put her on the train to the University of California, Davis, to begin her studies in Theater and Home Economics. On her third day in town, walking the opposite direction, she caught the eye of veterinary student Les Douglas, who, as family lore tells it, turned his ‘41 Chevy convertible around and asked if she was “going his way” and could he give her a ride. They were married two years later on September 2, 1956, in the San Fernando Valley Church of the Chimes. After a short stay in Ukiah, the couple built their life together in Arcata, where Les owned and practiced veterinary medicine at the Arcata Animal Clinic.

Peggy’s talents were legendary to anything she set her mind to do. She acted on stage with the Arcata Community Players. She was an accomplished cook and canner, winning many blue ribbons at the county fair. She loved gardening and was asked twice to showcase her Fieldbrook accomplishments on the Humboldt Garden Tour.

She was a talented artist and won many awards for both pastels and her incredibly detailed pen & ink drawings, one of which was chosen to represent Humboldt County at the California State Fair.

As an exceptional mother and homemaker, she was always supportive of her daughters’ many activities. Ever the first to volunteer to drive for school trips or sporting events, she was also a driving force in the Arcata Bottoms 4-H Club’s gold-winning stage productions. She founded the Sale of Champions livestock auction at the Redwood Acres Fair, helped circle the wagons to form the “Purple Circle” at the Humboldt County Fair, and made sure every ag child there had a meal if they were hungry.

Through the Humboldt County Cowbelles, she served many different roles both in the club and the community. She organized care packages for soldiers in Vietnam, did beef cutting demonstrations in area high school Home Ec classes and grocery stores, and developed fundraising campaigns such as the ranch brand napkins. To further the promotion of beef, she was proud to have chaired local and state Beef Cook-Off competitions and in 1992, the National Beef Cook-Off.

Her skills at organizing anything came in handy for family vacations, fabulous dinner parties, and legendary Christmases. She loved playing board games and cards with her children, working jigsaw puzzles, singing Tom Lear songs on road trips, reciting and writing limericks (even naughty ones), and keeping up with the news, the stock market, and her daily horoscope.

Her casino game of choice was Black Jack — but her true card love was bridge. From party bridge with friends to starting a bridge club in McKinleyville with her mom, she played consistently for years on Tuesdays with other aficionados who became dear to her in later years.

She had a keen mind, a fierce independence, and a deep love of her country. She served on the Humboldt County Grand Jury and volunteered for the Election Board working at the Blue Lake polling station for many years.

She was fun and funny, had an occasional fiery temper to match her red hair, possessed an exceptional memory, and had an inner strength to be admired. She was loved. And she is missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Vivian (McCormick) & Max Uhlig; her brother and only sibling who lost his life in Vietnam, Michael Steven Uhlig; her firstborn five-day-old son, Andrew Robert Douglas; and her beloved husband of 53 years, Leslie Robert Douglas, DVM.

She is survived by her three daughters: Leslie Douglas of Eureka; Stacey Douglas Jones and husband David Jones of Napa; Nancy Douglas and husband Brandon Jones of San Luis Obispo; her grandson, Nabeel El Sayed, of San Luis Obispo and her granddaughters Heather El Sayed and Rachel Ballow and family of Pheonix, Arizona. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Joan Stockhoff of Eureka and the Stockhoff girls, Karen Bietz and family, Ellen Jackson and family, and Anne Crossan and family.

The Douglas family would like to thank the “Core Four” (Avery, Crystal, Taniqua, and Kaylee) from Agape Home Care for their professional skills and love in the two months leading up to her passing, as well as the assistance of Hospice of Humboldt. The support they provided eased many hearts.

Memorial contributions can be made to the L.R. “Doc” Douglas Scholarship Fund at the Humboldt Area Foundation, Hospice of Humboldt, or the organization of your choice.

To celebrate Peggy and her love of the holidays, please join us at their home in Fieldbrook on Saturday, December 28, 2019, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (or longer). We will be showcasing her many talents of Christmas past and present. For directions, please contact Stacey at sdjonz@att.net.

To honor Peg’s love of rhyme:

We’ll raise a glass to this Irish lass
With stories, song, and laughter.
And celebrate her life well lived
And remembered ever after.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Peggy Douglas’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.