A. Douglas Lyke

A. Douglas Lyke, age 72, of Ripon, died Nov. 22, 2002, at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Appleton. His loving wife and children were by his side.
Doug was born May 29, 1930, in Claremont, N.H., the son of Jean and Hiram A. Lyke.
Doug married Audrey Jean Reichert on Dec. 29, 1952 in Oak Park, Ill. He was a 1948 graduate of Oconomowoc, WI High School, attended Carleton College from 1948 to 1950, and graduated from Northwestern University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1952 and has master’s degree in journalism in 1953. He served in active duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1953 to 1955. Following his Navy service, he was employed by The Beveridge Organization, a public relations counseling firm, and was president of Financial Advertising, Inc., from 1955 to 1962. Most recently, Doug was president (1962 to 1995) and, at his passing, was chairman of Ripon Community Printers, a commercial printing company that employs 340. He also was publisher (1962-1991) of the The Ripon Commonwealth Press and The Express and remained active up to his death as a columnist and editorial writer for the newspaper. Doug served as a member of the Ripon City Council, where he served as chairman of the Finance and Governmental Affairs Committee, from 1992 to 2000; was president of the Ripon Noon Kiwanis Club in the late 1990s; was president of Green Lake Country from 1994-96; was president of Ripon Hospital Associates (1997-99); was a mentor in the Ripon Head Start program from 1994 and 1995 (he also mentored at—risk “Project Alert” students at Ripon High School); served on the Early Childhood Development committee from 1994—98; has been a mentor to first and second graders in the Ripon School District with reading comprehension programs since 1998; was chairman of the board of trustees of the First Congregational Church of Ripon from 1993 to 1995, serving as moderator from 2000 to 2002; was a member of the Ripon Board of Education from 1972 to 1981, serving as board president, chairman of the New Building Study Committee as well as chairman of the board’s negotiating committee; was president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association (1980—81); was president (1991—1992) and co—founder of Ripon Main Street, Inc.; was co—chairman of the Ingalls Field Project in 1982; was a member of the Governor’s Wisconsin Council on Printing (1980—81); was campaign chairman for the Ripon Community Fund in 1971; and was president of the Glenview, Ill. Toastmasters from 1961—1962.
Doug and Audrey received the Founder’s Day award from Ripon College in 1994. He also was named Wisconsin Publisher of the Year in 1992 and was named “Best Newspaper Columnist” among Wisconsin community newspapers in 1971 and 1992. Also in 1992, Doug (and Audrey) received a distinguished service award from the Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce; the two also were named Riponfest festmasters in 2001. Doug and Audrey also received honorary degrees from Ripon College in 2001. Doug was inducted into the Hall of Achievement at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 1998 and received the school’s Harrington Award, given to the “outstanding graduate student in School of Journalism,” in 1953. He also was inducted into the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Hall of Fame. On three occasions, Doug has done volunteer consulting with VOCA (Volunteer Overseas Cooperative Agency) in eastern Europe. Between 1995 and 1999, he helped establish a farm publication in Kazahkstan, helped a private businessman become a successful owner of a former government—owned newspaper in the Ukraine and in YeKaterinburg, assisted a small printer with personnel, operating systems and sales.
Doug is survived by Audrey as well as four children: Kim (Steve) Augspurger, Kansas City; Sue (Joe) Bock, Edina, Minn.; Tim (Mary) Lyke, Ripon; and Andy (Jeanne) Lyke, Ripon; 10 grandchildren: Katie, Karl, Nick, Sam, Jess, Andrea, Laura, John, Chris and David; a brother, John Lyke, Denver, Col.; and a brother— and sister—in—law, Carl and Elaine Reichert, Glen Ellyn, Ill. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Richard “Ned” Lyke.
Visitation will be Monday, November 25, 2002 from 4:00—7:00 p.m. at the Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home, Ripon.A memorial service for Doug will be held Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Ripon, 220 Ransom St., with the Rev. Greg Turner officiating. A private inurnment will take place at Garden of the Cross Cemetery, City of Ripon. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.
Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home, Ripon, assisted the family. www.butzinmarchant.com