Douglas Dean Fetters

Douglas Dean Fetters, 76, of Dry Creek, passed away Monday, July 27, 2026 at his home. The family will have a private graveside service, and a memorial service for the public will be announced at a later date.

*A Celebration of Life service will be Saturday, August 22, at 2:00pm, with a time of visitation from 12:00pm until time of service, at Dry Creek Baptist Camp in the Tabernacle. There will be a time of worship, along with shared stories about Doug. If you have any stories you'd like to share, the family has asked that you email them to rememberingdougfetters@outlook.com.

Doug was born in San Antonio, TX on November 8, 1949 to Orville and Hilda Fetters. His sister, Barbara, was 6 yrs. old at the time. One of his earliest memories was his Dad unexpectedly passing away when he was 6 yrs. old.  In school, he participated in track and was actually on the 1967 District Champions track team, but his focus was on music. He began picking up music at a young age, learning to play on the same piano his Mom had used to learn how to play. He played trumpet in the Harlandale H. S. marching band, becoming the drum major in his senior year. He and his friend, Donald Higginbotham, helped put together a jazz band called The Tribesmen, honoring the mascot of their school. Through this band, he met and fell in love immediately with his future wife, Shirley. They married on May 26, 1974 under a huge oak tree on their college campus.

Doug used his music scholarship to complete a music performance degree, so difficult that they no longer offer it! His dream was to play in a military band but a back injury kept him out of military service. He used his music talents playing trumpet and leading worship at Lackland Air Force Base for several years. He also played trumpet in Latin bands throughout San Antonio and the Houston area, R&B bands, jazz bands, and almost always at church. His favorite way to use music was to worship Jesus, faithfully trying to encourage and enable people to sing to Jesus.

In 1978, Doug began to pursue a career in law enforcement, graduating from the Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy in 1979. Doug and Shirley moved to Vidor, TX for his first duty station as a Texas State Trooper. Here they welcomed their only child, Sarah. While he was with DPS, he became an instructor in many facets of law enforcement, including firearms drills and self defense. He always tried to create real-life scenarios to prepare officers for life and death situations. During his time in law enforcement, he often dealt with spiritual battles, alongside physical battles. His fellow officers knew he was there praying for safety and calling on Jesus for the authority to deal with evil in whatever form it took.

While a law enforcement officer, he continued to serve at churches as a music and youth minister. Doug felt the desire to pursue full-time ministry, which led him to Fort Worth for seminary. He quickly decided that he couldn't be with his family and provide for them, as well as go to seminary, so he chose his family. In 1997, Doug was called to a full-time ministry position in Lake Charles, LA and relocated the family to Louisiana.

In Louisiana, Doug began a career in education. He was a Band Director in 3 high schools and also taught private piano and trumpet lessons. Doug also used music to reach and teach kids in Special Education classes when he was a Band Director, which led him to get a teaching certificate in Special Education. He continued teaching until his retirement.

Doug has always been a protector, beginning after he became the man in the house after his father passed away. He was always on guard at home, at church, or anywhere else to protect those around him. During his college years, he and his friends trained in the martial arts on their own, not to get a belt, but just to be better. After the family moved to Dry Creek, LA, Doug took a position as the night watchman at Dry Creek Baptist Camp, which he continued into his seventies. Many staffers and campers have spent hours listening to his stories and "dad jokes"! His stories and the legends about him grew every summer! He had a pastor's heart to care for those around him. He naturally taught things he knew to anyone who wanted to know, whether it was music, motorcycles, defensive driving, verbal judo, or which martial arts technique in a movie actually works!

Humor was a big part of who he was. Doug always had a joke in every situation and a twinkle in his eye. No matter how dire a circumstance, he would find a silver lining or some reason to laugh. One of his mottos was "It's not just a family, it's an adventure!" This was usually when things were really bad and we had no idea what to do, he would call it an adventure! He had an innate confidence that whatever happened, God would work it out!

As his family, we know Doug, whatever faults and flaws he had, was kept by Jesus to his dying day. His life has created ripples of effects that we can't even know. May all of us strive to faithfully walk and run our race to the end, leaving our legacy to inspire others and giving glory to God!

Doug is survived by his wife of 52 years, Shirley Fetters of Dry Creek; daughter Sarah Cook of Snow Camp, NC; brother-in-law Gerald Workman of Colorado; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Orville & Hilda Fetters; and sister Barbara Workman.