Douglas Cave's Obituary
Douglas Merritt Cave was the fourth child born to Vashti Ewing Cave and her husband, Sidney Albert Cave. He was born in Garrett, TX on April 15, 1930. He departed this life on July 1, 2024, at his home in Longview, TX at the youthful age of 94 years old. A private graveside service with military honors will be held for Doug who will be interred at Myrtle Cemetery in Ennis, TX next to his parents.
Doug was a graduate of Ennis High School in 1947. Upon graduation he attended North Texas Agricultural College in Arlington for several years. He then enlisted in the US Air Force in 1950 where he served at Lackland USAF base in San Antonio, TX; Chanute USAF base in Chanute, IL; Hill USAF base in Ogden, UT; and Camp Kilmer in NJ. He was stationed overseas serving his country in Casa Blanca, Morocco, and in Ankara, Turkey. In the US Air Force, he worked primarily on electrical and radar systems for aircraft. He completed his tour at a rank of Staff Sergeant in 1954.
After the service, Doug attended Texas Tech University where he earned an Electrical Engineering degree in 1958. Upon graduation, Doug began his life-long career of working for defense contractors. He joined General Dynamics where he spent the bulk of his career as an aviation electrical engineer working on the F-111 and F-16 contracts. In 1978 he was offered the opportunity to become a software engineer which he loved. He retired from General Dynamics in Ft. Worth in 1989. Doug moved to Longview in the year 2000 to play golf and to be near family.
Doug’s three passions in life were software design, new cars, and golf! He shared many memorable moments with friends at Squaw Creek Golf Course in Willow Park, TX and Oak Forest Country Club in Longview, TX.
He was preceded in death by his parents, an older infant brother whom Doug never met named James Sidney Cave of Garrett, TX, and both of his loving sisters, Sidna Joe Cave Andrews of Grand Prairie, TX and Zelma “Nell” Cave Murray of Longview, TX. He is survived by four nephews: Judson Alan Murray and Jason Cave Murray of Longview, TX, James Wesley Murray of Sugar Land, TX and Garnett Lynn Andrews of Omaha, NE.
Donations may be made in Doug’s memory to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105.
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