Douglass Raymond Waring

October 5, 1924 - January 14, 2013

Malta,NY Douglass Raymond Waring 88, died at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London,CT on January 14, 2013 after an age related illness. Mr. Waring was born on October 5, 1924, in New Jersey, the son of Raymond and Aileen (Shaeffer) Waring. He graduated from Saratoga High School and went on to serve his country as a pilot in the Army Air Corps during WWII. After being discharged, he attended Skidmore College on the GI bill where he met his first wife, Gretchen Schoonmaker, whom he married in 1950. They had three children. Mr. Waring worked for over twenty-five years as a Project Designer at the Malta Test Station, a research and design division of GE. In the seventies, Mr. Waring was Director of Building Management for Wesley Health Care Center. There, he met his second wife, Nancy (Utley) Waring. They married in 1978 and had two children. He worked an additional ten years as a Project Designer for MTI. He later worked as Clerk of the Works for the Malta Town Hall building project. Mr. Waring had a lifelong passion for public service. He joined the Malta Zoning Board of Appeals in 1969. He became chairman in 1971, maintaining that position for nearly 30 years. He became a member of the Saratoga Lions Club in 1959 and was recognized for over 30 years of perfect attendance. During his service with the Lions Club Mr. Waring was Saratoga club President; Substance Abuse Chairman; Zone Chairman; Deputy District Governor; and District International Relations Chairman. In 1994 Mr. Waring received the Melvin Jones Award. He was honored with the Knight of the Blind in 1997 and was the Guiding Lion for Malta. One of Doug’s proudest achievements in Lionism was his effort to collect $15,000 of medical supplies for the Ukraine Relief Project sponsored by the Kentucky District 43 Lions club. He was also the recipient of the Past District Governor’s Leadership Achievement Award. Mr. Waring spent his retirement years at his home on Old Post Road, not far from where he grew up. As his friends and family knew, there was never a subject Doug didn’t have an opinion on. He was always up for a game of pool at a local bar. He was an avid photographer, hunter, archer, and often spent time with friends in the Adirondacks tracking deer. In addition, he was a member of a small, dedicated poker group. It was a great opportunity for the guys to get together on a cold winter night and play for fun. Whenever Doug recounted his poker nights, he always came out better than the house. He never seemed to lose. Mr. Waring shared his life with two remarkable women; Nancy (Utley) Waring and Gretchen (Schoonmaker) Waring who predeceased him. He was also predeceased by his daughter Sally Waring. He is survived by two sisters, Patricia (Waring) Kohn of Saratoga Springs, Nancie (Waring) Tyler of Malta; two brothers, Winston Waring and his wife Judy of Turnersville NJ and C. Joseph Waring and his wife Barbara of Delanson; two daughters Jill Waring of Palo Alto California and Ashley Waring of Delft Netherlands; two sons Scott Waring and his wife Karen Ethier-Waring of Mystic CT and Todd Waring and his wife Eve Gordon and children Tessa and Grace of Santa Monica California; sister-in-law Anne Latham and husband Tom of Eastford Ct; and brother-in-law Robert L. Utley Jr and wife Joanne of Winston Salem, NC. The family is grateful for the kind care Doug received in his last year of life from the staff at Academy Point of Mystic; the nurses and doctors at L&M hospital and by caregiver, Elizabeth. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the ‘Saratoga Springs Lions Foundation’, PO. Box 166, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866; or to Vitas Hospice Care, 628 Hebron Avenue Suite 300, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Arrangements are with Tunison Funeral Home, 105 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs. Calling hours will be on Monday, January 21, 2013 from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. The funeral will be held on Tuesday January 22, 2013 at 11:00 A.M. at the First Baptist Church of Saratoga Springs, 45 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs. Online remembrances may be made at www.tunisonfuneralhome.com