Doug’ s self-portrait
Our favorite realtor has left us – another cancer victim. Doug and I go back to 1994 on Shore Drive in Carlsbad, and there hasn’t been a more gregarious guy in the business since. I have the utmost respect.
I appreciate his willingness to go on camera and share his thoughts. His talks are the best real estate video you will ever see.
Here’s one of our first together from July 14, 2015, plus a link to others:
http://bubbleinfo.s020.wptstaging.space/category/doug-harwood/
Doug’s final words to me:
“After the many years, it’s the good friends I have made in real estate that brings me the most joy.”
His Facebook page today:
I only met Doug a few times but when I did I always walked away thinking – what a wonderful man. I took the time just now to re-watch all of the footage JTR took over the years and it reminded me how poised and articulate he was plus what a generous spirit he had. I never got to tell him this (and oh I wish I had – lesson for DMK) – that I truly appreciated his encouragement of Kayla as a new agent. He was always kind, always supportive and cognizant of the fact that she was learning from her Dad. He treated her the same way he treated everyone – with dignity and respect. We will miss his gentle way, his cooperative and collaborative spirit, and the gift he was to the realtor community. Doug rest in peace. With the utmost respect and regard.
So, somebody told me about a website made up for a high school reunion for my old school, and I checked it out, and they had a list of people who’d passed on, with a number of people I’d known back then. There was one guy who had recently passed from cancer, and his info mentioned his Facebook page, which I checked out. He’d posted almost up to the end. The doctors told him how much longer he had. Turned out they were right on the money. In his last month, in the hospital, he said he was listening repeatedly to one CD only. Jackson Browne’s “Solo Acoustic” album.
I never paid much attention to Jackson Browne-I knew his hits-but I thought, “I guess that must be quite an album.” So I bought it.
It was.
Condolences, Jim.
https://youtu.be/mnlMaZ6H0x4
You can tell by the rare comment by wifey how the impact has hit us tonight.
Thank you for the excellent Jackson Browne, I was sampling this earlier:
https://youtu.be/vHljmLUEk9o
I never knew him, but that was a great eulogy, Jim. It’s such a sad fact of life that even the best of us have to move on eventually. Be thankful for the time you had with him, and keep him alive through your happy memories and wisdom gained. Passing those memories and wisdom to others helps magnify the goodness he did in life.
Rest in peace, Doug.
My condolences to you and Donna.
I am convinced Cancer is the work of the devil. I do cancer research for a living and I see firsthand how little we understand this disease despite the tremendous amount of tools the medical community has at its disposal today. Many of these tools were not available even 10 yrs ago which has improved the quality of life for patients, but ultimately this disease remains many steps ahead of the best science.
Doug always had special connections with EVERYONE he met. Whether it was his great sense of humor or his uncommon knowledge of life and real estate, you always left his presence feeling uplifted. Rest my friend.
I’m so sorry to hear the news Jim. I too enjoyed your video’s with Doug and although I didn’t know him, I know several people like yourself who did and I only heard good things about him over the years. He will be missed by many! Thanks for all the videos shared over the past few years.
Thanks Rob. BTW, my first encounter with Doug in 1994? It was at your house – before you owned it!
My condolences to you and Donna and all who knew Doug. He sounded like an extraordinary person. The best gift we can give those who leave too soon is not to let their name be forgotten or the lessons they taught us not be remembered.
I know how Shannon feels. Cancer seems to take the best people and I continue to wonder why. Widowhood simply sucks but as the grief lessens, we are so grateful we were lucky to have such loving and gracious people in our lives.
I first met Doug in the ’90s and will remember him as a doting dad, an all around good guy and a great realtor. Doug will be missed in so many ways by all of us whose lives he touched over the years.
I met Doug at an party at Mark Muir’s home many years ago. He seemed like such a nice man, and we chatted for quite a while. I remember him because there were so many “big wigs” at this event, I was surprised he gave me more than a hello. That is my criterion for quality person. I wasn’t anyone who could help him with developing anything, nor was I a member of the City Council, or anyone else special. I am so sorry for those who knew him better than I, and I am also sorry he died of cancer. It sucks!
Rest In Peace, Doug. You’ve blessed so many people so richly throughout your life. Your absence will be felt. God bless your soul and may God bring peace and comfort to all those who mourn your passing
He was unique and we knew him from 1979. His integrity was his stock in trade. R.I.P. Douglas….
Steve and Sal
His integrity was his stock in trade.
Well said, and a lesson for others.
I am so sad to hear this news. Doug and my father (Robert Hall) were fun to listen to when together. Doug had a great way to rein my father’s “end of the world” theories around real estate in. Doug was a great friend to my father and was so supportive through his final days.
RIP
Doug was a quality person and we also had a mutual friend in a very talented person in Architect Steve Adams that also died of Cancer. I will forever remember Doug for his wisdom and especially for making me aware of something I would most likely have ignored. This was a couple of years back and Doug called and asked if I could meet him for lunch at the Chart House in Cardiff. We met for lunch and he asked specifically for a table that had a Map laminated on the table top of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
He proceeded to tell me about a memorable trip he took with college friends after graduating from USC. His face glowed and he told the many different experiences of that journey and the people he met.
After 3 hours of listening and learning from Doug, I asked him where he felt was the best place on the planet. He said; “we’re here, Southern California and the US as the US Constitution sets US apart from the many other countries.”
Doug told me of how much he loved his son and how he was writing a memoir to leave for him. I was a bit perplexed and asked; “what do you mean by leave for him?”
It was then that he told me he had Stage 4. Needed to say I was SHOCKED. He told me he saw some signs but ignored them because as humans we sometimes thing ourselves invincible. Curiously I asked him what the signs were. As God is my witness, less than 45 days later I experienced one of those same symptoms. I went to my Doctor and they said I was way too young to have Prostate Cancer. They initially dismissed it, but Doug encouraged me to get a second opinion and do further tests. I did, and they did find Cancer. Like Doug, I too was treated at UCSD’s Moore’s Cancer Center and fortunately for my family and me, they caught it early enough to combat it.
My family and I are forever indebted to Doug Harwood for making me aware of the symptoms, and for being such a good human. Doug Harwood is one of those rare humans that helped advance humanity and human intelligence by having graced the earth…May He Rest in Solitude With Angels.
Great story – thanks Pat. See you at his service next Monday.
We will be celebrating the life of Doug Harwood on Monday, July 10, 2017 at 10am at the Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe. We would love to see everyone there that loved this very special man. A reception will follow the service…Looking forward to seeing everyone there. Thank you again for your prayers and support…
https://www.facebook.com/doug.harwood.5
I knew Doug from the time he was 7
We grew up in Arcadia.
I loved him and i will miss him.
Judi Stubbs