Honoring G. Douglas ‘Doug’ Juckett

By Joy Stokes

Coastal Hospice had the opportunity to talk to Dorothy Juckett at the We Honor Veterans Room dedication ceremony at the Macky and Pam Stansell House, where her husband G. Douglas Juckett was being honored, among other donors and organizations. Their story is remarkable and during a follow-up phone interview, Mrs. Juckett shared with us her memories of the loving care and compassion that her husband received from Coastal Hospice.

“Coastal Hospice was so wonderful; I can’t tell you. I’d put them up against anyone. There is no one better than the Macky & Pam Stansell House. We had a friend whose wife had just been at Stansell House and they said ‘you can’t beat their service and compassion’. Doug had been other places in the community and once we moved him to Stansell House we knew it was the best decision.

As part of the Ocean City-Berlin Optimus Club, Doug had many friends that wanted to see him but couldn’t, because of COVID. I don’t know what made me think of this because I’ve never heard of it, but Coastal Hospice made it happen. My family and I organized a drive-by for Doug at the Macky & Pam Stansell House. I think me thinking of this idea must have been divine intervention.

Being a retired Anne Arundel County Police Officer, I called up the Anne Arundel County Police and they sent a car who led the procession form the St. John Neumann Catholic Church on Racetrack Rd, in Berlin all the way to the Stansell House. This procession included several other jurisdictions throughout Worcester County as well as an ambulance. Friends said every street was blocked because they wouldn’t stop the procession. To know that people care that much, is amazing.

I sat alongside Doug on the porch and all his friends and family looped through the roundabout at Stansell. My son counted and there was a total of 85 cars and there wasn't only 1 or 2 in a car, but sometimes 3 or 4 people per car. There is a video someplace that we have of that beautiful day.

Doug passed away seven days after this and he said to me every day, “Did you know I had that many friends? I didn’t know I had that many friends!”. He absolutely loved it and so did I. After the fact I thought, what a terrific sendoff for him. I’m so thankful he was able to spend his last 3 months next to heaven, cared by Coastal Hospice.”

Doug Juckett served in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1962. He retired in 1990 from the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland, after 30 years of dedicated service. Juckett was an active member of the Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club for 30 years and of American Legion Post 166 in Ocean City, Md. We are honored that we were able to care for him and his family, and his name is now honored in our We Honor Veterans Room at the Macky and Pam Stansell House.