Charles “Raymond” Douglas, 85, of Bethel, Ohio went home to be with the Lord after a long illness on January 30, 2023. He was born on April 25, 1937 in Ivydale, West Virginia to the late Charles Ernest and Goldie Marie Brannon Douglas.
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his sisters, Audra Douglas and Hazel Douglas Lilly, niece Brenda Velvens, nephews Christopher Lilly and Jeffrey Lilly.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Shanda Estep Douglas, son Charles “C. R.” Ralph Douglas, his sister, Marjorie Douglas Browning and also many nieces and nephews. He was a member of the Church of Christ, now known as The Community Christian Church of Bethel, Ohio. Raymond and his wife were married for 62 wonderful years. They were married in 1960 while he was in the Army. He loved his country and was proud to be a part of keeping us safe. He told his wife that he wanted to be buried in his Army uniform.
In 1964 he was working for McLean Trucking Company in West Virginia. The company moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, so he moved to Ohio and drove a semi. The next year he started his own trucking company Douglas Trucking with one semi. Then it started growing so fast that he had to buy more trucks and trailers. He then re-named his company to Bantam Leasing, Inc. that kept growing and he started another company named C D X-Press, Inc. serving most of the United States. He was a mechanic, salesman, you name it he could do it without a problem. He loved the trucking business and all the people he met along the way. He retired and closed the doors in 2017 when he turned 80 years young.
Just like he dealt with all experiences in life, he managed his illness with strength and grace and wanted to spend as much time with his loved ones as possible.
He always told his wife “I’ll be waiting for you at the edge of the river”. When God took him home, he held his hand with his loving wife Shanda, and with his son C. R. holding his other hand, with special friends all around him.
He will be missed and loved and never forgotten by all who knew him.
Visitation was held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023 at the Community Christian Church, Bethel, Ohio. The Amelia Masonic Lodge #590, Scottish Rite and The Amelia Order of the Eastern Star #338 held services at the church.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at E. C. Nurre Funeral Home, Amelia, Ohio. Interment at Tate Township Cemetery, Bethel, Ohio.