Douglas G. MacLean

Douglas Gray MacLean, age 78 of Wayne and formerly of Nutley, passed away on Saturday, February 20, 2021. His devoted wife Hilda stood by bravely in loving and comforting support at the time of his passing.

Doug was born in the Panama Canal Zone where his father James worked as an electrician on dredging boats that dredged the Chagres River for the U.S. government. He grew up in the small town of Gamboa in a home that was situated right alongside the Chagres River. With the exception of leaving Panama every other year for a government mandated three-month summer sabbatical, where Doug and his parents stayed with relatives in Point Pleasant, Garrison, NY, or with his childhood friend in Georgia, Doug spent the first nineteen years of his life in the Panama Canal Zone. He attended Balboa High School in Panama City – a daily train ride, where he excelled in competitive swimming and was also a pitcher for the school’s baseball team and point guard for the basketball team. After graduating in 1960, Doug attended community college for a year. Soon after, his mother Jane (nee Gray) passed away and, when his father retired, he and Doug moved to Nutley, NJ.

Doug worked for the IRS for a couple of years and then enlisted in the United States Army where he bravely served from 1964 to 1967, part of that time overseas in the Vietnam War. For his military service, Doug was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. Upon his return to civilian life, he attended Rutgers University on the G.I. bill and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

After graduating from college, Doug embarked upon a long, rewarding career in the insurance industry. It was during that time that he also had the pleasure of meeting a young woman named Margaret “Meg” Fitzgerald. They met through Margaret’s sister Dora who was one of Doug’s coworkers. Doug and Meg eventually married and enjoyed each other’s love until her untimely passing in 1986.

Doug’s favorite job of all was with SeaLand Container Shipping Company where he was a maritime insurance claims adjuster. After the breakup of Sea Land, he worked for various other companies until fully retiring in 2006.

Dancing was an activity that was always sure to put a smile on Doug’s handsome face. On the evening of New Year’s Day in 1994, he ventured out to the Grand Chalet on Route 23 in Wayne for a night of fun. Dancing was much more enjoyable with someone else and since, as the saying goes, “love dances in the freshness of the unknown”, Doug took a chance and asked a sweet and sophisticated young lady named Hilda Paitz if she would like to join him on the floor as the live band played inspiring music. Much to his delight, she obliged and, as they got to know each other more and more, they connected in many ways – so much so that they ultimately married on Friday, August 28, 1998 in a civil ceremony by the mayor of Wayne. Doug moved from his home in Nutley to join Hilda and he remained a Wayne resident for the rest of his life.

As much as Doug loved to dance, it would probably be safe to say that he loved playing golf even more. After all, who else owns four golf bags? He loved to get together with his buddies Leo Murray, Lou Leone, Jesse Hinton and his brother-in-law Tom Lynch, to take in nine or eighteen holes at any of the three golf courses in Essex County, and later, when he moved to Wayne, at the Passaic County Golf Course. Doug couldn’t get enough golf as evidenced also by how much he enjoyed watching the game on television and reading any periodical he could find on the subject. Doug also was proud of the fact that he was among the few who can say they got a hole in one. He achieved this honor one year while on vacation in North Carolina with Meg and his brother-in-law Tom Lynch and his wife Dora.  

Doug was an avid reader and student of history. He especially enjoyed learning about World War II and watching disaster-themed shows including explorations of sunken ships and air disasters. He was a dedicated member of the VFW Hall in Pompton Lakes where he regularly attended meetings. He and Hilda loved to travel on cruises to Aruba, Cozumel, Bahamas, his favorite destination of Bermuda, and one time together to Panama through the locks of the Panama Canal so that he could show her where he spent his childhood.

Love of dancing goes hand-in-hand with an appreciation of music and Doug especially loved the bands of the 1960’s like The Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Neil Diamond and Johnny Mathis. His radio in his car was always tuned to 1250 on the AM dial because that station played all music from that era. Doug also recorded concerts on PBS so he could watch them over and over again and, when vacationing in Wildwood, NJ, he and Hilda would frequently take the ride to the Grand Hotel in Cape May for a night of dinner and dancing. A real movie buff, if you named an actor, he could tell you when they were born and any other information you’d want to know about them. He and Hilda also loved to get together with their friends Ed and MaryLou Smith to play bridge at the Wayne Adult Activity Center.

Unfortunately, the events of 9/11 had a profound effect upon Doug’s health. His office was in very close proximity to the World Trade Center and, while he was able to get home that night, he breathed in a lot of the toxic air flume caused by the terrorist attack. In 2019, he developed cancer. Since then, his beloved Hilda stood right by Doug’s side as he fought the battle.

Doug had so many great qualities that will be dearly missed. He was easy going, well read, and his friends always spoke about what a great story teller he was. He was very witty and liked to use puns, feeling that they were “Pun-Believably” hilarious. He always said that his favorite movie of all time was Tunes of Glory but, from a pun point of view his favorite movie was probably “It’s a Punderful Life”. Rest in peace Douglas.

Douglas was the beloved husband of Hilda (nee Paitz), blessed in marriage for just over 22 years. He was the loving step-father of Alysia Vesley of Elmwood Park, Keith and wife Jungyun Vesley of Fair Lawn, and Amy Vesley of Morristown; adoring grandfather of Julia Vesley; dear brother-in-law of Dora Lynch of Spring Lake Heights; dear uncle of Thomas Lynch, Jr and wife Jillian, Ashley Lynch, and Elissa Tierney and husband Jason; great uncle of  Avery, Logan, Finley, and Pierce; and dear cousin of Sylvia Meehan and husband Kerri of Garrison, NY. Doug was predeceased by his first wife Margaret “Meg” (nee Fitzgerald) in 1986 and his brother-in-law Thomas Lynch in 2021.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Douglas’ name are asked to consider one of the following two charities:

American Cancer Society, NJ Chapter

2310 Route 34, Suite 1D

Manasquan, NJ 08736

To donate online to the national chapter click here

Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW)

Click here to access a form to send with your check to:

VFW Processing Center

P.O. Box 8958

Topeka, KS  66608-8958

To donate online click here

Or call 1-833-VFW-GIVE to donate by phone