June 21, 1943 - December 24, 2022

It is with great sadness that we announce that Douglas McNair, 79, of Reston, VA passed away peacefully in his home on December 24th, 2022.

Doug is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Shirley, and brother, Donald. He is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Regan, along with his 2 sons, Chris (Michelle) and Jamie (Wendy), and 4 grandchildren, Taylor, Courtney, Robbie, and Landon. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and other special relatives.

Doug was born June 21st, 1943, in New York, NY. As a child, he lived in Denver, CO before moving to Bethesda, MD. He attended Bethesda Chevy Chase High School where he met multiple life-long friends. He graduated from Bucknell University, where he met Regan, and obtained his MBA from The Wharton School. He worked for several firms in the telecommunications industry, including Xerox, SBS, and MCI before becoming an independent consultant.

Doug had many interests. His deep-rooted passion for animals led him to rescue many dogs throughout his life, and he especially loved volunteering with Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). He enjoyed playing the guitar, listening to music, rebuilding motorcycles and woodworking. He was also very excited about his recent purchase of a 1966 VW Beetle, in honor of his and Regan's first car. His favorite place in the world was Cove Point Beach in Lusby, MD - a small community on the Chesapeake Bay that he grew up visiting with his parents and brother. Doug and Regan bought a vacation home at Cove Point when Chris and Jamie were young, and it has served as a gathering place for multiple generations to enjoy spending time together. Doug was a devoted family man and valued spending time with loved ones above all. He went above and beyond to create special moments with his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. We will all cherish the memories of countless soccer tournaments, motorcycle rides, boat trips, fishing charters, shark's tooth contests, treasure hunts, movie productions, escape rooms, poker games and mystery boxes. Doug will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor and ability to bring smiles and laughter into every room he entered, his dedication to helping animals and his unwavering love of his family.

Classmate Reuben Aaronson remembers Doug:

Who Dropped Ruth? Doug and I were in one of the dance sequences of the musical DAMN YANKEES that we put on at B-CC. Somewhere at a point after the intermission, we played small but critical parts by appearing on stage just in time to lift Ruth Rae and her long legs into the air with a dramatic flair only she could manage.

Now that Doug is no longer with us, there will forever be an unresolved dispute between us over just which of us wasn't quite in the right place to make the lift. We each claim it was the other.

But that's not the memory I want to talk about...

Because our leg lifting skills weren't required until well into the night, we found ways to busy ourselves backstage while we waited for our big moment. On this particular night, we were playing a spontaneous game of penny ante poker with a couple others players. Doug and I were teamed up on the same side.

At a key moment in the game, we pulled what had the potential to become a memorable winning hand — as, except for a specific missing card that needed to be drawn, we had the makings of a Royal Flush, the best hand in poker.

We were vibrating with excitement at the very possibility.

We discarded just one card and casually drew another, trying to conceal our emotions. When we turned over the new card, miracle upon miracles, it was the very card we needed! We weren't able to contain ourselves. We threw down the cards triumphantly, victorious for all the world to see.

Instead of immediate ooos and aaaahs, the moment was met by silence from the other players. Our opponent looked up from the cards and asked with a touch of bewilderment and scorn, "Queen high?"

Doug and I looked at each other, dismayed, until we both understood that our enthusiasm had blinded us into just imagining that we'd drawn the card we needed...when in fact, we hadn't!

It was one of our favorite stories to recount to each other over the years.

Having a friend like that, for that long, gives you a sense of continuity in life, a feeling of common adventure that grounds you and makes you feel sane, seen, and rooted in a shared reality--even if we disagreed over who dropped Ruth Rae.

Classmate Paul Knutson remembers Doug:

I learned a lot from Doug, and his stories. When we were younger, and I was in his house, I discovered an actual family that was like in "Leave It To Beaver." I told him this more than once many years later. For most of us, the "Leave It To Beaver" family was something that was a nice fiction and far from reality.

In the last 10 years I've got to know and spend time with Doug and Regan, and hear so many of his stories. Somehow, he never told me the same story twice (which is impressive; though I'm sure Regan heard them many times). This one is about the big break that got the Simulated Environments Incorporated story going. He and Al West were in the palatial offices of Morgan Guaranty Trust Company trying to raise money to start their software business. They made their pitch. And one of the senior vice presidents asks about their financial situation. And Doug and l just went white. After a pause they admit that they have debt-- $3,000! "We were so naive. And those guys looked at each other and just broke up. We got the loan."

Doug was the real deal. The ease and confidence were genuine. And the help he gave so many was just natural for him. And if you got to know him you learned that behind all that he was very smart, very hard working and professional in just about everything he set out to do.

Classmate Barbara Johnson remembers Doug:

“He’s the handsomest boy I’ve ever seen.”

That was what my mother said the first time she met Doug when we were about 13 or 14.

Doug was special in so many ways. He was one of the kindest, most generous people I’ve ever known. His love of family, friends, and dogs was all encompassing. He was always ready to help. He had a marvelous sense of humor about himself and the world.

Many of you who didn’t have the privilege of knowing Doug will perhaps remember him as the narrator in our class video where he rides up to B-CC on a motorcycle, wearing a (borrowed) Saints jacket.

Doug has been a part of a small group of classmates that have been emailing several times a week for over 20 years. We’ve gathered at his place at Cove Point and met at Jane Lake Birt’s home in Wales. Cherished memories. You may remember these stories (written by Jan Tupper) from earlier class e-newsletters:

Doug to the Rescue, Part I

In 2003, two members of our communication team, Jan and Barbara, planned to visit London, to see Jane Lake Birt's painting exhibit, and to visit with her and Paul Knutson. Those of you in the DC area will remember it was the year of a massive blizzard (at least we thought it was massive until this last one!) The night before their flight the snow piled up so high that cabs and limos were refusing to pick up passengers either that night or the next morning. Finally Jan found a taxi willing to pick up both women at 5 a.m. at Jan's place in Tysons Corner, which was more accessible than Barbara's snowed in home at the end of a cul-de-sac. The problem remained: how to get Barbara to Jan's? Who might have a four-wheel drive and would pick up Barbara in Bethesda and take her to Jan's place the night before the flight? Jan and Barbara had exchanged emails with Doug recently, but neither of them had spoken to him in 40 years. Jan remembered an email photo of Doug's hound dogs, and thought, "Hmmmm....bet he has a four-wheel drive!" Jan called Doug, and his answer was, "Sure, just let me finish dinner!" Later he said, "Heck, I would have done it at 16, why not at 63?"

Doug to the Rescue, Part II

The night after the Haitiian earthquake, Doug and his wife Regan were watching CNN when the phone rang. It was their oldest son Chris's sister-in-law, Stephanie, who lives in D.C. and works for an international charity. She said they had 16 folks on a Haiti mission with a desperate need of funds. A Fairfax County search and rescue team was due to leave Dulles in one hour, and would deliver the cash to Haiti by midnight.

Stephanie arranged for cash transfers to take place either at a CVS or a Shoppers Food Warehouse between Doug's house and Dulles. The McNairs were the only ones she knew who lived close enough to pick up the cash and get it to Dulles within an hour. Doug and Regan agreed, grabbed what cash they had on hand and set off for the closest CVS. On the way, a call came in, "Wrong CVS--Go to the one in Herndon!" On the way to Herndon, another call: "Not CVS--Shoppers Food Warehouse!" They were driving in circles. Finally they got to the right place and the person there said they have nothing for Douglas McNair, only for Doug McNair, and that's not what his driver's license says. Doug says he pitched a profane fit at that point.

He said it was "The Amazing Race meets Mission Impossible." It turned out he needed a code word. Called Stephanie, who called Minneapolis and got a seven digit number. Number was refused. Need an eight digit number! Wrong code word! More phone calls, and then the eight digit number. It was accepted! Now came the paper work. The package had to be double wrapped with bubble paper around the money and a specific address on each envelope. The amount of cash was less than needed, so Doug and Regan kicked in what they brought from home.

Another call from Stephanie. Not meeting at Dulles. Meeting at the Fairfax County Fire Station, 15 miles away. Oh, and by the way, the fire station will be dark, so go around back and meet a man named Keith.

It's very late by then and pitch black. They drive around to the back of the fire station, where there's lots of activity. Doug takes the cash, which is now wrapped in bubble paper, and gives it to an officer, who wants to know what's in the "package." Not sure who he's talking to, Doug says, "I'd rather not say." The guy looks at Doug like he thinks this calls for a full cavity search and says, "Never know what's in a 'package' these days." So Doug says, "$2,300 for Keith." Out comes one the the tallest, biggest firefighters imaginable--completely bald with a huge drooping mustache. There is gear hanging all over him--flashlight, radio, microphone, medical stuff, knee pads, knife, head light, and on and on. Doug figures this will be the safest $2,300 in Haiti.

Back out to the parking lot. The relatives are on the phone wanting an update. In the process Doug manages to back Regan's relatively new car into a trailer hitch on a black pickup truck. Not much damage but still a royal pain. Doug says, in inimitable fashion, "We had a ball. We wanted to make a donation, so what better way than cash on the ground in 24 hours."

Next morning Doug gets a call in his office from a guy saying he's with the World Council of Credit Unions. Doug hears "Credit Union," says he is not interested, and hangs up. Guy calls back immediately and says he's the CEO of the charity and wants to thank the McNairs for their adventure. Next night, at about 9:30, pitch black, Belle (the McNair Redbone Coonhound) is baying non-stop. Two knocks on the door (not the buzzer, the knocker). Doug turns on the porch light and Belle has this great big guy cowering up against the front door. He isn't actually crying, but it's close. He's holding a fruit arrangement from WCCU and pleading for Doug to open the door.

Doug says he wishes all their charity contributions could be this much fun.

Doug was an active member of FOHA (Friends Of Homeless Animals) and is fondly remembered by the society:

Doug McNair, a well-loved and integral member of our volunteer corps, passed away on December 24. Over the last 12+ years, Doug has supported Friends of Homeless Animals in numerous roles, including lead videographer and admin of our YouTube channel, a member of the Facebook admin team, a regular participant in weekly dog socialization and adoption events, cat snuggler, home visitor, post-adoption counselor, researcher for post-adoption issues, transporter, fundraiser, and Barktoberfest announcer. More than just the roles he supported, Doug had such a big heart and was always willing to help where he could. For example, several years ago when a recent intake dog was pregnant, he donated his woodworking skills and supplies to make a whelping box for Maggie and her 7 puppies, which has since been used by three more moms and 11 puppies. 

The following video was created by FOHA in his memory:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgcf0btdaxo