Douglas Thornton “Doug” Moser, who for over 40 years as a teacher and coach contributed in his distinctive way to the development of many students and athletes in the Chattanooga area, died on July 23, 2019, at Memorial Hospital.
Doug was a lifelong resident of Chattanooga who, over the course of his life, was a vital part of three families in the conventional sense—the one into which he was born and two others he helped to create. The members of all his families mattered to him, and on them he has left an enduring impact.
Through his career of over four decades as an educator in elementary school, high school, and college, Doug also became a respected part of a larger family that spanned a wide range of constituencies in the Chattanooga area. In his teaching and coaching career, he created a strong bond with many students and families and, in the process, made a significant impact on innumerable lives.
Doug was born to Beverly and Violet Moser on January 22, 1950. He grew up with two brothers who survive him: Alexis, of Bryant, Alabama, and Enoch, who lives in Merritt Island, Florida, with his wife Barbara. This family has grown to include several nephews and nieces who also survive Doug.
On August 14, 1971, Doug married Susan Alday. Their children, Sara and Adam, both of Chattanooga, survive. After graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1972, Susan and Doug began their work as teachers. Susan worked in elementary education, where she was much loved by colleagues and students, until her death in 1999.
On June 7, 2011, Doug married Lorraine Peninguy Stewart. In addition to Lorraine, Doug is survived by Michelle Stewart Wiltz, of Chattanooga, and Jeffrey Stewart, of Atlanta; their respective spouses, Danny Wiltz and Lindsey Warren Stewart; and Michelle and Danny’s daughters, Ella Rose and Audriana.
Doug graduated from City High School in 1968 and UTC in 1972, after first playing baseball at Tennessee Tech for two years. He then invested himself, to great effect, in the Chattanooga educational community. He taught, in classrooms and on athletic fields and courts, at Elbert Long Elementary School, City High School, UTC, Baylor School, and Girls Preparatory School. Among his many career achievements:
·In three years as the varsity girls’ basketball coach at his alma mater, the City High team was runner-up in 1982 and state champion in 1983 in class AA.
·He then became, for two years, assistant to Sharon Fanning while she was the women’s basketball coach at UTC. Each of those years, the UTC women won both the regular season and tournament championships in the Southern Conference. In the first year Doug assisted Coach Fanning, the team was ranked 19th in the AP poll and lost to Vanderbilt in the championship of the NWIT by one point.
·Baylor, as part of its transition to coeducation, then hired Doug to serve as the school’s first girls’ basketball and softball coach. Doug also taught math at Baylor, but he made the contributions for which he is best known in the athletic realm, leading students to a high level of achievement and laying the foundation for sustained success in both programs. During his coaching tenure, Baylor won two class AAA state softball championships (1993, 1994). In basketball, Baylor finished second in the state in Division IIAA in 2001, as well as winning several district 6AAA championships and the 1997 region 3AAA tournament title.
·One aspect of his work as an educator in which Doug took particular satisfaction was helping students and players develop and achieve high goals by working hard to apply their talents to a task. He took great satisfaction that one of his former players in both softball and basketball, Kelli Howard Smith, now coaches the Baylor softball team and, building on the foundation Doug laid, has led that program to a level of sustained excellence.
·Doug received several district Coach of the Year awards in both sports he coached. In addition, he was a two-time winner of the Scrappy Moore award, given annually to the outstanding high school coach in the Chattanooga area, once (1983) for basketball, and once (1994) for softball—a unique coaching achievement, and unparalleled in the history of that award.
Despite his numerous accomplishments and the many honors he received for his coaching, Doug was as self-effacing a person as one would ever be likely to meet. Consistent with his reluctance to call attention to himself, his family will honor his wish to have a simple, small private memorial gathering to mark the occasion of his passing.
But there will also be a public celebration of his life at a date and location to be determined. The details of that public celebration will be announced in the near future.
Consistent with Doug’s values and his express wishes, his family asks that, in lieu of flowers, anyone seeking to honor or remember him do so by contributing to the American Cancer Society or the National Kidney Foundation.
Deborah Kelly (1969)
Rest in Peace my friend.Darrell Witt (1969)
Doug ("Mouse") Moser is one of the finest persons I have ever known. I had the privilege of being his baseball & basketball teammate at City High and got to know Doug very well through sports and the Hi-Y Club and intermittent contact in the later years. Without question, Doug's kind, caring, compassionate, humble, and spiritual personality and beliefs set him apart as an individual. "Mouse" was nothing but class and his death is extremely sad. I willl miss him, but treasure the memories of his friendship forever!
Prayers for his family.
Jeanne Bunch (Trewhitt) (1968)
Doug was always one of the nicest guys at City. He always treated everyone the same. He was your friend. and he always remained that Nice Guy. I enjoyed reconnecting with him on Facebook. He was so well loved and respected by former students. He set the bar high for all of us. You might say the world is a better place because of him. My prayers are with Loraine and the children. Rest In Peace Doug.
Dick Burnette (1968)
I hate to hear this. I was really hoping Doug had turned a corner in his health issues. I knew Doug & his family since third grade. We grew up on the same street and were friends and school mates through two years of college. And we stayed in touch through the years.
Beth George (Hightower) (1968)
Doug was a unique individual. Doug was always "Doug" and never tried to be anyone else. He was a true leader, kind and gentle soul, who had a great deal of self-control and motivation to achieve excellence without losing himself while doing it. He epitimizes what living life to the fullest represents. As all true leaders, he left a legacy by investing himself into the lives of others, making our country a better place for all of us. We are all fortunate to have man like Doug to have been apart of our CHS tradition.
Michael McKelvy (1968)
I have put off writing about Doug mainly because sitting here reading all the heart felt post are so on target! Doug was a humble talented man, Doug was. Great athlete, Doug was a great husband and father, not only to his actual family but to his student family!
I guess because I mostly knew Doug the athlete, I will focus there. Football, Doug was not big enough to be on the line, so, what did he do? He learned to kick, kickoffs, punts, extra points! He just wanted to contribute, and he did! Baseball, he had great talent there and he excelled too! Basketball, now 5his is where I know Doug. Wasn’t tall, good shooter, fantastic defense, but even though he did not start, he was a leader, an encourager! I have seen so many guys who were not starters and you see sour grapes, NOT IN DOUGS DICTIONARY!
So, you were a fighter and you fought an amazing fight! You will be and already are missed, loved, but mostly respected! Thank you for what you brought to the table, for CHS and the city of Chattanooga!
REST IN PEACE!
Joel Hausler (Hausler) (1968)
I haven't seen Doug but a time or two since 1968 - probably only at class reunions. I remember he was just an all around nice guy who never said much but had the respect of everyone at City. He was the type of person we could all strive to be - kind, considerate, and selfless. Can't have anything better said about you than that.
Steve Eaton (1968)
So sorry to hear of Doug’s passing. For everyone who knew him and the countless others who were touched in some way by his life Doug was a blessing. I cannot recall ever hearing a negative comment from him and, conversely, have many memories of him encouraging others. Doug was quiet about his own achievements but was always actively engaged with numerous activities where he often was the leader. His life spoke volumes about his character. While I knew him most closely through basketball it was a real privilege to observe him contribute so much to our student life at City and afterwards to the broader Chattanooga community.
Martha Ellen Zachry (Craig) (1968)
To Sara, Adam, Lorraine and Doug's brothers, and all other family, my sincere condolences. I knew Doug from first through twelfth grade and during that time experienced only friendliness, kindness, and compassion in each interaction with him. He was the most even, unflappable, and positive person I knew. He was also brilliant, spoke so fast I sometimes couldn't keep up with him and had the tiniest handwriting I ever saw! His handwriting reveals a lot about him. Although what he had to say or offer was probably much more valuable than what louder voices were telling us, he offered it humbly and in a very self-effacing manner. I only saw him one other time since graduation, but I am sure he only grew stronger in those qualities over time. We are all very fortunate to have had such a friend.
S. M. (Rob) Robertson (1968)
I have been in contact with Doug Moser for the past 10 years, long after our graduation from CHS. We shared our pain from Rib Breaking falls. As always, Doug was more concerned with my pain than his own. Although we traveled in different circles at CHS, Doug treated all his classmates as friends. Doug had the unique ability to treat everyone as a Best Friend. His unique ability to make everyone feel Special was unmatched. I’m fortunate to have had a bond with such a special man. He changed my life and changed the lives of too many to count. Our loss is Heaven’s Gain. God speed my Good Friend, you truly made a difference here on Earth . . .