Stanley Matthew Daugert

Born in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Daugert studied at Bucknell Junior College (now Wilkes University), then transferred to Columbia College where he took his B.A. degree in 1940 and his M.A. in the Graduate School of Philosophy at Columbia in 1942. His Master’s thesis was “Plato’s Philosophy of Art”. Drafted into WWII in 1942, he first saw combat as a non-comissioned officer in and around New Guinea with an amphibian brigade. Ordered to attend an American Officers Candidate School outside Brisbane, Australia, in September, 1944, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. In Brisbane he met Barbara A. Bredin who was working for the American Red Cross abroad and married her there. Barbara was the daughter of the well known artist Rae Sloan Bredin of New Hope, PA. Returning to combat as an infantry officer with the 1st Infantry Regiment in New Guinea, he was soon appointed aide-de-camp to General J. T. Murray ACG of the 6th Army, under Generall Douglas MacArthur. Aftr the invasion of Luzon, he requested relief from those positions and returned to the 1st Infantry Regiment as a heavy weapons officer and engaged in combat in Bataan and througout Luzon. He was scheduled to take part in the planned invasion of Japan; however the A bombs were dropped and the war was over. His unit was sent to Korea to assist in the repatriation of Japanese nationals back to Japan. He was mustered out of he military in 1946 with a Bronze Star for meritorious service in combat. Returning to the Graduate School of Phiosophy at Columbia and to his family and new wife, he completed his Ph.. degree, published his dissertation the The Philosophy of Thorstein Veblen in 1949 and helped prepare and edit Paul Kristellers’, The Philosophy of Marsilio Ficino for publication. Accepting a position as Head of the Division of Human Understanding at Ogelthorpe University in Atlanta he taught many courses in the humanities and philosophy for 15 years and helped raise a family of three sons and a daughter. About 1955 he also worked at an off-campus position as Regional Programs Associate for Foreign Affairs with the newly created Southern Regional Education Board where he worked for three years under Dr. John Ivey. In 1962 he accepted the charmanship of the Philosophy Department at Western Washinton University where he published several articles and assted I. C. Sharma in writing and editing Ethical Philosophies of India and India’s Democracy and the Communist Challenge. He began work on a volume to be titled Manners and Morals but it remains incompleted at his death. In the mid-seventies, he was appointed Chair of the committee which developed the University Senate. In 1985 he retired as Emeritus Professor. An avid reader, he was also chosen to head the Great Books program In Bellingham following the leadership of James Jarrett, former President of Western and head of the Western Division of the Great Books Foundation. A classical pianist he also delighted in playiing two-piano concerts with friends. The first of five concerts was presentd at the Bellingham unitarian Church in 1994. His first wife Barbara passed away in 1978. He was married to Virginia Huston in 1988 and divorced in 1998. He met Alice Vivian Jacobsen, a Social Worker with the Division of Children and Family Services in Spokane, WA, in the Spring of 2000. They both proclaimed an amazing love at first sight sensation on meeting when he flew to Spokane to meet for the first time! Following her retirement from the State of Washington August 1, 2000, they were married in a beautiful ceremony in the Manito Park Duncan Gardens August 27, 2000 and bought a home In Bellingham where they have enjoyed their 12 years of marital bliss and retirement together. They have been very happy together and enjoyed traveling extensively together. He is survived by his wife, A. Vivian Daugert, his sons Larry (and daughter-in-law, Barbara), Stephen, Frederick (a daughter Elizabeth who passed away in 1995), and grandchildren Katie and Simon Daugert. Having a very close relationship with his wife’s family, he is also survived by her sons, Terry, Rick and Michael and her fourteen grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren who were quite fond of “Grandpa Stan”. Since the fall of 2010 he has had a prolonged battle with cancer. He was actively involved in the many modalitiies of treatments including surgery and bextensive radiation at the Cancer Center both here and at Seattle Cancer Care in Seattle. He remained strong and active in his bridge and poker playing and playing the piano just last week for a Hospice volunteer, David Hanna here at home. His wonderful friends, Milt and Judy Krieger took an active role in caring for him. Just last month, Milt stayed with Stan so Judy and I could go to the Chrysalis for a pedicure, coming home to a lovely dinner cooked by Milt. My son Michael came and stayed for a week with Stan so I could have a hospital procedure done. My son Terry Neal came over on his Harley just last week to spend time with Stan. Another son Rick and his wife Lisa came over last Friday and helped take down the jungle of flowers on our front deck and put all containers in the garage. All help from family and friends and Hospice has been greatly appreciated. My son Michael who is very fond of Stan came directly from Spokane when called yesterday 9/4 when it was apparent Stan was not coming out of his coma. Larry and Barbara were also in attendance throughout the day as was his best friend, Bob McDonald (who was best man at our wedding years ago. Stan was a great man, professor extraordiaire, husband, lover, father, friend, and wonderful traveling companion. He loved and was well loved in return ande will be with us in memory forever. Whatcom Hospice has been with us here at home for the past two months until his fall Monday necessitating hospitalization in their wonderful Hospice House where he received excellent, loving care. In lieu of flowers, donations to Whatcom Hospice in Stan’s name would be greatly appreciated. Farewell Tribute Information Services will be held at noon on Sunday, Sept. 9th, at Moles Farewell Tributes on Lakeway Drive.

Stanley Matthew Daugert

June 10, 1918 - September 4, 2012