Douglas DeGroot, 1943-2018

Douglas Eugene DeGroot, aged 75, died of heart failure on Oct. 31, after a short illness. He was active in politics with the LaRouche movement, serving as an editor and Africa specialist. He was notable for his steadfast commitment to his work, often to the detriment of his health, which had been compromised by a near-fatal car accident in 1967. His devotion to the welfare of Africa was lifelong, beginning in the 1960s when he served in the Peace Corps in Cameroon, teaching English to French-speaking residents of that country.

Doug also had a lifelong love of Classical music; he played the trumpet and kept up lessons to perfect his playing until his final illness. He also had an excellent tenor voice, and occasionally performed with local choruses over the years.

Doug grew up on a farm in Minnesota, where he developed a love of machinery and how to fix it. After beginning his education in a one-room school house, he ultimately graduated from Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Michigan) with a degree in Mathematics. He then went into the Peace Corps. He briefly taught math in Philadelphia inner city schools, before joining the LaRouche movement and moving to New York City. In 1985 he and his wife of 43 years, Efthalia (Effie), moved to Leesburg, Virginia where she still resides.

Doug is survived by his wife and son John, as well as his brother Jay ,and sisters LindaTapper, Rachel Hop, and Debora Vogel. Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Bert and Lucy DeGroot of Edgerton, Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html