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By Earl Williams, Staff Writer
Robert Douglass was his wife’s number one fan.
When Genevieve ran for the seat of 5th District Long Beach City Council in April 1998,. He conducted fund-raisers, stuffed mailings, served as campaign treasurer and proudly wore her get-out-the-vote button.
The 49-year-old did this while battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer, which Genevieve said Robert became inflicted with after being exposed to chemicals during the Vietnam War.
“Unfortunately, the Vietnam War is still killing our men,” Genevieve said.
Robert died February 19, 1999. A week before his death, he sat at his computer keying in data to complete financial reports for the County of Los Angeles Management Department where he worked for 27 years. Robert, who had been placed on Public Health Programs and Services’ Honor Roll, in 1992, had been allowed by upper level managers to work from his Long Beach home. “People who worked for him said he was the best boss they ever had,” she said.
After graduating from Millikan High School in 1967, Robert enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his first tour of duty in Germany before finally getting assigned to Vietnam.
Once he returned home, he attended Long Beach City College, where he enrolled in accounting courses which enabled him to advance to a manager’s post with the County of Los Angeles, Genevieve said.
The Douglass’ had been married for 27 years. They have two sons, Shawn and Daniel.
In addition to Genevieve, Robert is survived by sons Shawn and Daniel; sisters, Sharon and Dorothy Frey; and mother Irene Frey, a resident of Long Beach for 33 years, graduate of Poly High.
The celebration of his life will be held at 10 a.m. at Calvary Chapel Pacific Coast on Friday at 6400 Westminster Blvd. Westminster. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent to “In Memory of Bob Douglass” The Lymphoma Research Foundation of America at 8800 Venice Blvd. Suite 207, Los Angeles, California 90034 (310)204-7043 or make a one time gift or sponsor a child with World Vision at P.O. Box 70005, Tacoma WA 98471-0005 (800)777-5777.