AXTELL, Douglas F. 1950-2009
AXTEL, REPASS, NORDMAN, KIDWELL, GREENLEE, WILLIAMS, BARTH, BOVONE, HARTZ, CARRADUS, GREENLEE
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 11/25/2014 at 23:59:21
[Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Wednesday, June 24, 2009]
Doug Axtell, a native of Waterloo, Iowa, who lived in the Fort Collins area for nearly 20 years, passed away on June 22, 2009 after a long and courageous battle with lung cancer. Doug lived an extremely productive and rewarding life, one that was filled with profound memories and lasting friendships.
He was born to Dorothy Repass Axtell and Don Axtell on July 2, 1950, in Denver, Colorado. Shortly after, he and his mother and older brother, Dave, moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where they lived with Dorothy's parents, Fred and Mae Repass. They stayed in that loving home for 14 years until Dorothy married Martin Nordman. Doug graduated from East Waterloo High School and attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
In 1969, Doug married Becky Kidwell and they had three daughters, Tammy, Kelly and Jenny. They later divorced. He began work as a journeyman electrician but soon moved into the automobile business. He never sold a car during his first month with Schukei Chevrolet in Waterloo - but Doug was never one to back away from a challenge. He had learned the value of hard work, determination and perseverance as a high school wrestler, and those traits guided his entire career.
Doug eventually became General Sales Manager at Jim Arenson Chevrolet in Center Point, Iowa, and helped mold it into one of the most popular and successful dealerships in eastern Iowa. After 11 years with Arenson, he re-located to Colorado and became General Manager at Saturn of Fort Collins. He had a highly successful career there, holding that position from 1991 until his retirement on April 1, 2009.
Doug met his soul mate, Gail Williams Greenlee who he married on March 29, 1983, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. They renewed their vows when the cruise ship they were vacationing on stopped there on March 29, 1994. They moved to Colorado in 1989, living 4 years in Westminster before moving to Fort Collins and then to Loveland 3 years ago.
Whatever Doug did, he gave it his all. He loved Iowa Hawkeye wrestling, scuba diving, bike riding, snowboarding, golf, windsurfing, spin class and lifting weights. He enjoyed traveling to places such as Grand Cayman and Cancun.
He is survived by his wife, Gail; three daughters, Tammy (Dan) Barth of Cedar Falls, Ia; Kelly (Chris) Bovone of San Jose, Calif., and Jenny (Chad) Hartz of Waterloo, Ia.; his mother, Dorothy; his brother Dave (Lynn) Axtell, mother-in-law Peggy Williams and father in-law Gale Williams, and step sons Chad Greenlee of Westminster, Co., and Colby Greenlee of Lander, Wy.
Also, by his sister-in-law Pam Carradus; brothers-in-law Randy (Michael) Williams; Steven (Lisa) Williams; Ronald (Deb) Williams and Lynn (Mary Fritz) Williams. Other survivors include eight grandchildren; Shelby, Ashley, Sydney, Jackson, Giavanna, Cade, Carson and Luca, three step granddaughters; Sarah, Samantha and Alexis, three step great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Don Axtell; his beloved step father, Martin Nordman, and grandparents Fred and Mae Repass.
Memorial donations may be sent to: the University of Iowa Wrestling Program, Carver-Hawkeye Arena, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, or to Respite Care, Inc., 6203 S. Lemay Avenue, Fort Collins, Co. 80525, or Crossroads Church 5420 N. Taft, Loveland, Co. 80538.
Doug's entire family is in awe of the number of wonderful friends he has who have offered so much support and kindness, and expressed sincere gratitude for his support of them through the years. We would like to thank every one of them for the tremendous way in which they supported him and Gail and the family over the past year while he fought lung cancer and Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis. He never gave up and his favorite expression, "Fear Not," was a source of inspiration to all who knew him. His glass was always half full.
Visitation is Thur. 6/25 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Resthaven Funeral Home, 8426 S. Hwy.
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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