Jerry Lee Douglas

Funeral service for Jerry Lee Douglas will be held on Friday, January 6, 2017 at the First Baptist Church of Chelsea at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at the Chelsea Cemetery under the direction of the Chelsea Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at the Chelsea Funeral Home Chapel. Family will greet friends from 6-8 p.m.

Jerry Lee Douglas, known by his family and friends as Chief, passed away on December 31, 2016 at the age of 77.

The son of John Arnet and Bertha Ketchum Douglas was born at home in Winganon on September 10, 1939. He was raised in the Chelsea area and graduated from Chelsea High School in 1958. Jerry married his high school sweetheart Lura Ruth Powell on May 9, 1959. There son, J. Shane Douglas, was born in 1968.
Jerry honorably served his country in the United States Air Force. The next several years Jerry spent working for Southwestern Computing services as a computer programmer. He returned to Chelsea and helped to care for his mother in her final years. It was then that he became involved in the Delaware Indian tribal affairs. He began serving on many boards for the Delaware tribe such as, the housing authority, the Boys and Girls club of Chelsea, the Tribal Council, and the Delaware Trust Board. The role progressed into serving as the assistant chief, and ultimately, he was elected Chief of the Delaware Tribe. Under his administration the Delaware Tribe regained their federal recognition.

In his spare time, Jerry enjoyed watching sports. His favorite teams included the Oklahoma City Thunder, St. Louis Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners. When he was younger, he also enjoyed coaching youth basketball. However; his true passion was spending time with his family.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Bertha; brother, John Redman Douglas, and sister, Juanita Rose Moore.

Survivors include his son, J. Shane Douglas and wife Victoria; grandsons, Johnathan Redman and Jeremy Quin Douglas all of Winganon; sisters, Ida England of Chelsea, and Dortha Arline Reavis of Savannah, Missouri; brother, A.K. Douglas of Chelsea; sister-in-law, Olga Douglas of Claremore; nieces and nephews, Dennis and Pauletta England of Tulsa, Bob England of Chelsea, Jenan Alderman of Chelsea, Linda Phillips and husband Sam of Owasso, Joyce Westenhaver of Chelsea, Donald Moore of Claremore, Don Douglas and wife Margaret of Oklahoma City, Karen Hinkle and husband Mike of Claremore, Patsy Schmidt of Savannah, Missouri, Doug Reavis and wife Randi of Savannah, Missouri, David Douglas and wife Rhonda of Chelsea, Duane Douglas and wife Robbin of Claremore, Debbie Whisenhunt of Chelsea, close friend Carol Wall of Tulsa, forever friend Lura Douglas Barber and husband Larry of Tulsa and many cousins and extended family.