Leslie Harold Douglas

Leslie Harold Douglas passed away on September 14, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. He lived 100 years and one month!

Leslie was born August 13, 1923 in Elkhart, Anderson County, Texas to Kit Carson Douglas and Althea Driskill Douglas. At the age of 2, Leslie’s family moved from east Texas (Elkhart) to the town of Trickham in west Texas where his mother’s family lived, to escape a malaria outbreak. Growing up on a farm with 6 sisters and 2 brothers was not an easy life, but Leslie developed an ability to fix most anything out of nothing and a work ethic that persevered and was honest and patient in all things. He attended Trickham Elementary and Middle School (where he was taught by his oldest sister, Retha in the 5th grade), and then Santa Anna High School. After graduating in 1941, Leslie attended Texas A&M before World War II and then graduated from North Texas Agricultural College (now UTA) in 1947 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Leslie was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on February 23, 1943. He was stationed near Norwich, England during World War II where he served as a Flight Engineer and Top Turrett Gunner on a B 24 “Liberator” for 25 daylight bombing missions over France, Germany and Africa. He was asked to “volunteer” for 10 more missions and, of course, he did for a total of 35 missions! His service occurred at a time when American bomber crewmen stood only a one-in-five chance of surviving his tour of duty! Leslie received the E.A.M.E. Medal with four Bronze Stars which represented the four different air campaigns he participated in…the Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Northern France, and Rhineland. Leslie was recognized for heroism and valor six different times for which he received the Air Combat medal one time and the five Oak Leaf Clusters five additional times! Leslie was very proud but humble about his service – he later stated, “We were shot up a lot of times, but we were never shot down!” Leslie was honorably discharged from the United States Army Air Corps on September 14, 1945 (coincidentally, he died exactly 78 years later, September 14, 2023). The LORD blessed him with many years to do great things!

While on R&R in Edinburgh, Scotland during WWII, Leslie saw a beautiful Scottish lassie across the room and asked to sit next to her. That began a love affair of a lifetime! Later when asked, Helen’s mom told Leslie he would have to wait two years and send for Helen if they still wanted to marry. They did! And he did! And on February 28, 1947 in the Santa Anna, Texas Methodist Church, Leslie and Helen Douglas were married. Helen, at 19, had traveled from Scotland to West Texas to marry a Texan who must have truly been in love from first sight! And who was still very much in love after 76 years!!

Leslie and Helen lived in Arlington while he completed his engineering schooling at North Texas Agricultural College in 1947. Leslie, Helen and their daughter Beverly moved to Abilene, Texas to begin a new career working for The X-Ray Sales and Service Company as a sales and service engineer. Leslie developed the territory and daughter Sheila and son Kenneth were added to the family. In 1962 Leslie moved the family back to Fort Worth and began the process of purchasing the company. In 1974 Kenneth transitioned to a full-time employee, later running the company after Leslie retired. To this day, X-Ray Sales and Service Company is still a family-owned business, run by Leslie’s grandsons, Reid Douglas and Mark Douglas.

Leslie was a member of several organizations including the US Army Air Corps, Abilene Traveling Salesman Association, Nations Club (supporting international students in Abilene), Celidh Scottish Country Dancers, Scottish Clans of North Texas, Dallas Cowboys Fan Club, Republican Party (especially Donald Trump) and the Handley United Methodist Church.

Leslie retired in 1994 and he and Helen began traveling more in Europe. They spent many summers in Scotland where they had a holiday caravan. He enjoyed many hobbies including gardening (especially peach trees and tomatoes) and could make most anything grow. He also enjoyed Scottish Country and Square Dancing, boating, meeting and talking with people, watching Cowboy and Kansas City Football games and college football games, especially A&M and TCU games. He served at church functions and enjoyed time spent at Ken and Celia’s “Schoolhouse” and Butch and Sheila’s “Ranch” in Proffitt, Texas. Most of all, Leslie found his greatest pleasure when he was with his family… watching the kids play whatever they were playing and his grandchildren and great grandchildren and all of their activities.

Leslie was preceded in death by his father, Kit Carson Douglas; mother, Althea Driskill Douglas; brothers Ralph and Craig; and sisters Retha, Cora, Dorothy and Christine.

He is survived by his loving wife of 76 years, Helen Reid Jinks Douglas; son Kenneth Douglas and his wife Celia Hellman Douglas; daughter Beverly Douglas Saldana, daughter Sheila Douglas Lawhon and her husband Butch Lawhon; sisters Betty and Zona; grandchildren Heather Keating and her husband Karl, Reid Douglas and his wife Beth, Mark Douglas and his wife Caitlyn, Douglas Lawhon and his wife Lindsay, and Tyler Lawhon; great grandchildren Hannah, Joey, Katie, Emily, Sadie, Emory, Bentley, Turner, Merrick, Jordan, Judd, soon to be “Archer”.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the charity of your choice in Leslie’s honor.