Douglas F. St. John

Douglas Francis St. John, born May 4, 1938, died peacefully on October 27, 2025, at home surrounded by his daughters. He was preceded in death by his wife Beverly A. Lauer St. John, parents Arthur A. St. John, Virginia R. Binkley St. John and granddaughter Kelly Camp and sisters Diane M. St. John Pollock, Marianne Matthews, Ruthanne St. John and Lucinda A. St. John. He is survived by daughters Audrey A. (John) Gramling, Patricia M. (Christopher) Noble, Sheila A. (Richard) Fraser, Sharon M. Swanson and Louise A. (Scott) Pierson, sisters Rebecca A. (Edward) Moeller, Carol A. (Muhammed) Aslam, Suzanne P. St. John, Deborah A. (Terrance) Drown, Michelle A. (John) Logsdon, Regina A. Ringenbach, and brothers Frank X. (Sharon) St. John, Dennis C. St. John, and Arthur A. (Thomas Benecke) St. John, nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and over fifty five nieces and nephews.

He was a graduate and life-time alumni member of Central Catholic High School, Toledo, OH and had earned 3 degrees in Engineering including a BS from The University of Toledo and a PhD in Engineering from Michigan State University. After serving two years as an officer in the U.S. Army Artillery, he joined the Owens-Illinois Glass Company as a research engineer. During his career he held posts of Manager of Chemical Engineering and Manager of the Volney, NY and Atlanta, GA glass container factories, Vice President and Director of Corporate Planning and President and CEO of OI-NEG TV Products.

Doug was either a holder or co-holder of eight U.S. patents in the areas of heat transfer and fluid flow concerning glass melting and refining and electrostatic printing.

During his working career and into retirement, he served as chairman, director and/or officer on numerous corporate, university, civic, fraternal, technical, professional and social boards, institutes, chambers, associations, councils and various organization committees.

In retirement Doug loved fishing, hunting, golfing and boating with his wife Beverly, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. He was a member and one-time gross and net golf champion of the Thousand Island Golf Club, Wellesley Island, NY, a member of the Muirfield Village Golf Club and more recently the Wildcat Run Golf and Country Club in Estero, FL for over 30 years.

He was a life member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, an honorary life member of 3rd degree Knights of Columbus, currently Council No. 11281, Naples, FL and an honorary life member of 4th degree Assembly No. 807, Toledo, OH.

He may be viewed at the Freck Funeral Chapel, 1155 South Wynn Road, Oregon, OH on Sunday, November 2, 2025 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Monday, November 3, 2025.  A funeral Mass will be celebrated on November 3, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Oregon, OH. Interment will follow in the St. Ignatius Cemetery.

We would like to thank his long-time friend and partner Joyce Miller for her love and companionship. In addition, we would like to express our gratitude for the outstanding care provided by the Cancer Clinic at the Bonita Health Center.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a blood donation in Doug’s honor. Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, 14010 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 709, Clearwater, FL 33762 or to Hope Hospice, Development Department, 9470 Health Park Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908.