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William Thomas Doucette, aka Billy D, passed away in his sleep on the evening of October 5th, 2022, at the age of 75. All are invited to join us for a celebration of his life at the Grand Marais Municipal Campground on June 10th at 2 p.m. There will be a graveside service at 1:00 for family and friends. Bill is survived by his brother Ken, his sister Earlene, his wife Lynn Doucette of Crystal River Florida, his daughter Lara Ganz, wife of John Ganz and mother to Callum and Mireille, and his son Sean Doucette, husband to Olga Doucette and father to Sofia, Kaya, and Logan.
Billy D was born on October 8th, 1946, and lived in Reading, Massachusetts. He was the first son of Earl and Jean Doucette. He graduated from Reading Memorial High School in 1965. He earned a scholarship to play football at Aberdeen College in North Dakota. While attending Aberdeen, he met his wife, Mary Ann Coull and together, they moved back to Massachusetts where he became a teacher, coach and eventually athletic director at Tri County High School in Franklin MA. He worked his summers as a recreation director at Crystal Springs Campground, a struggling camping resort in Bolton, MA. Bill and Mary Ann had their daughter Lara in 1971 and their son Sean in 1977. In 1980, he and Mary Ann purchased the campground, determined to turn it around. By 1985 it was recognized as one of the highest rated camping destinations in New England.
In 1986 Bill and Mary Ann separated and he moved to Grand Marais in pursuit of a simpler life closer to nature and among people he felt more in-tune with than his East Coast counterparts. He brought with him a passion for music, coaching, skiing, and an entrepreneurial spirit. He married Maribeth Nelson and together, they owned The City Limits Restaurant, The Snuggle Inn, Bed and Breakfast, Cedar Haven Hotel, and eventually The Blue Moose Handcrafts and Nursery. He was a popular Ski instructor at Lutsen Mountains and football coach in both Grand Marais and Silver Bay. He had some notable local accomplishments including introducing the “option offense” to the Cook County Vikings, establishing a tradition of live music at local hangouts, and mentoring many young musicians. He and Maribeth found a strong faith in God and served on a local worship team. To Bill, music was the art of making people happy. He had no greater joy than when people had fun listening to music and sharing laughs. He played the guitar, keyboards, harmonica and always had a tambourine for anyone who wanted to join the band. Billy D was generous with his time and money helping people whenever he recognized someone in need. He enjoyed riding motorcycles along the coast and swapping stories with people he met.
Bill beat leukemia in 2004 but lost Maribeth to cancer in 2005. While attending to his dying father, he met Lynn and they married in 2006. Billy D would divide his time between Grand Marais and his new home in Crystal River, Florida. A friend of Bill’s once remarked that he had made more friends since meeting Billy D than he had made in 55 years before that. Bill believed everyone had something good to offer and that life is more about the impact we have on others than the things we accumulate. Billy D was a collector of life experiences and a giver of joy and friendship.
William Thomas Doucette was a man of stories and anyone who knew him has a story to share. He will survive in the hearts and memories of all those who were impacted by his presence in their lives. In the end, Billy suffered a severe stroke while performing with friends at a popular Florida bar. He was doing what he loved, creating music and sharing laughs with friends and strangers, building bonds and celebrating what makes life worth living. His business card simply said, “For a good time, call Billy D”.
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