Douglas Edward Kienle

With intense sadness, the family of Douglas Kienle announces his passing; his amazing and kind heart wore out on October 31, 2024. Douglas Edward Kienle was born in August 1948 in Tillamook, OR to Milton E. Kienle Jr. and Ruth V. (Wamser) Kienle. He was the second oldest, born two and half years after his brother Keith, and just a few minutes before his (fraternal) twin brother, Mike. A few years later they welcomed another little brother, Scott, and then a baby sister, Mary. Doug spent his first years in Tillamook where he enjoyed spending time with his Grandpa Kienle at the family’s Kienle Music Store. The family moved to Corvallis in 1954 where another Kienle Music Store began. Doug remained keenly interested in Tillamook history and happenings his whole life and was just recently still in hot pursuit of area photographs and artifacts. He was equally interested in and proud of the Kienle Music Store history. At Harding Elementary School, Doug made many lasting friendships which he maintained in the decades since. He looked very forward to each opportunity to attend a reunion and re-connect with former fellow students from his formative years. Most were astounded at the detail and vivid recall of his memories. This was his signature—listening keenly to other people, understanding the context of their lives, and remembering their stories, trials, triumphs. In Cub Scouts, his meticulous approach to projects earned him an award for Best Model Car. Later, at Highland View Junior High School, he discovered new working-with-his-hands passions in his wood and metal shop classes, as well as his art classes. He even signed up for dance class, slyly admitting that it was a good place to meet girls (not only because they were required to dance with the boys in the class, but also because they substantially outnumbered them). Doug had an early, keen, and vast aptitude for all things mechanical and structural. His zealousness for cars (and bargains) showed up by age 15 when he purchased his first car, a 1953 Studebaker, for the bargain price of $35. How not to get caught underage owning a motor vehicle? Park it at a friend’s house, unbeknownst to all respective parents. Only busted when he conceded to let his twin brother Mike drive, at which time they were spotted by a police officer who flipped on his lights, signaling them to pull over. In true Doug-Kienle-looking-out-for-others-fashion, he immediately ordered Mike to the passenger seat so that by the time the policeman approached the driver’s seat of the Studebaker, Doug was there to accept the ticket. Why? Doug reasoned that since it was his car, and he would be taking the heat both at home and downtown for owning it ahead of schedule, there was no need for anyone else to get into trouble too. Be clear, this was not a shameful memory, but rather a story he gleefully and frequently shared, with a chuckle and a snicker on his face, a certain twinkle in his eyes. Two enduring mottoes that got him into hot water at home his entire life were thus cemented: “But It Was A Really Good Deal”, and “Ask for Forgiveness, not Permission”. At Corvallis High School, Doug was a prized auto mechanics student by day and a drag-racer by night. His mechanical genius having been present since an early age, he enrolled in the half-day Automotive Program his senior year. Just as he was graduating in 1967, he was tapped by his instructor to discuss his next assignment. His career in the auto industry was then forged as Jack Scoville, owner of a local car dealership, phoned the instructor, asking him to send over his star student to apprentice as a “Lube Boy”. This launched him into his long career in the Corvallis auto industry. The drag racing? Having upgraded to a 1953 Ford sedan, whose engine then resigned, Doug enlisted his brother Keith to help him replace it with a souped-up Buick engine. The result? That clunky heavy old Ford with the souped-up Buick engine left a Corvette owner or two dumbfounded when it crossed the finish line ahead of their lighter, shinier, sleeker, substantially more expensive models. A lifelong champion of the underdog, Doug proudly shared this memory with an ear-to-ear grin on his face. It was also at CHS that Doug met his future bride, Katherin Zimmerman. After their graduation in 1967, they married in 1968. They welcomed their first daughter, Kristen, in 1969 and then Kimberly in 1972. They shared a life, grandchildren Nicholas, Bryce, and Hailey, many beloved family member pets, and 57 years of marriage. Together they owned and improved several homes and landscapes, leaving each one far better than they found it. In fact, one could say, that for each home and yard, their glory days were when under the careful care and reconstruction of Doug and Kathy. Doug established himself as a loving, generous, devoted, silly family man, always looking out for his ladies. He sometimes worked two jobs to make ends meet. His dedication, loyalty, and protection were evident in everything he did. The numerous voids he leaves behind are vast, heartbreaking, and a bit breathtaking. He was our Rock, our North Star, our Grounded Center in more ways than we can name. During his stint in the Oregon National Guard in the 1970’s, Doug traveled to Alaska where he took in stunning scenery while learning to rappel and climb mountains. He displayed his mechanical prowess yet again, this time on the Guard’s very large machines such as the famous Deuce and a half, a tactical cargo truck that could carry 2 ½ tons of materials, on and off the road in all kinds of weather. His Discharge Papers predictably report that he earned the rank of Motor Pool Sargeant. Despite that there was a doughnut store right next door to Jack Scoville’s dealership, Doug later transferred to working for Wendy Nelson and eventually for John Nussbaumer. Later John went into business with Phil Doud, creating John & Phil’s Toyota. There, Doug was very proud to serve as Parts Manager for 46 years, and joyfully reported that he had been there longer than Phil. Doug won many awards from Toyota, notably National Parts Manager of the Year for many, many years running. He is credited with putting John and Phil’s Toyota on the national stage several times with dealership awards, ultimately landing him and the team in People magazine. Toyota rewarded him and Kathy with trips to Acapulco, Nashville, Hawaii and the Bahamas. He discovered a love of cruises, and especially the all-you-can-eat midnight buffets and pastry bars. His crowning claim to fame was an ingenious modification to thousands and thousands of Tacoma air conditioning units that Toyota was about to destroy as obsolete excess inventory. Resourceful by nature, Doug figured out how to alter the A/C units to fit older models. Back then, many new Toyotas were sold without air-conditioning and as they became used cars, the owners wanted A/C. So he bought Toyota’s entire inventory nationwide, much to Phil’s surprise. This created an opportunity for Doug to sell these modified units to every dealership in the U.S. In doing so, he saved a ton of material from entering landfills across the country, earned himself the nickname, reputation and custom license plate “The Ice Man”, and is still keeping 1990’s die-hard Tacoma owners cool behind the wheel. The short German guy with the black hair and mustache behind the Parts Counter at John & Phil’s Toyota thrived on connecting with customers, vendors, & co-workers alike. He was known to sneak out the back door and change the wiper blades for a customer who could afford the blades, but not the service fee. Never changing a finder’s fee, he gleefully and tirelessly searched for the perfect used car for anyone in the market. He delighted in finding used deals for himself, delighting most weekends with “seeing how they cornered” on our way out to Alsea to see his sister Mary, her husband Bobby, and his niece Holly. His attention to detail and care of others was infamous. His daughters joke that he never went anywhere without running into and chatting with at least 3 people he knew. A quick trip to Fred Meyer for bread turned into a two-hour endeavor. The auto supply store? We should have brought our sleeping bags. In the 1980’s, Doug’s hands found their way to a new hobby, creating Stained Glass windows. His artistic pride and joy was a stunning lighthouse (with a light-catching bevel for the big ‘bulb’) that he created for his father who was born and raised on the Oregon coast in Tillamook. Later, in 1988 he set to work on an amazingly detailed rendition of the Benton County Courthouse for its bi-centennial celebration. He hand-etched each individual brick as well as the lady liberty on top, while making his mark by stamping the time at 8:03 (his date of birth). Many marveled at the precision of his pieces, the quality of his solders, the eye that he had for which swirled piece of the marbled glass he placed in which position. It is no wonder that the County and State Fairs sent him home with only ribbons that were blue in color. Doug was a perfectionistic ‘Serial Remodeler’. A wise response during an earthquake is to hustle to any building he reinforced or rebuilt. A fence he constructed in 1984 was only replaced a few years ago. His brother-in-law Lyle spent many hours helping make a project just right. Doug was the one you hoped to have with you in the event of being marooned on a deserted island. Remember the 1980’s T.V. show MacGyver ? After Doug declined the role, ABC hired whatshisname--the other guy. Meanwhile, Doug stayed in Corvallis, making MacGyver’s antics look like child’s play. Have an old doorbell mechanism lying around? With a few tweaks it is now your Christmas lightbulb theft deterrent device. Or combine it with an old sprinkler head and Eureka! You’ve just created an environmentally- and nature-friendly deer deterrent for your wife’s rose garden. Many relied on Doug’s ingenuity and marveled at his unique “Only Doug Would Come Up With That” outside-the-box solutions. Doug was significantly less detail-oriented when it came to hiding the jelly-donut stains on his shirts or candy wrappers in his vehicle. In fact, as far as his family knows, he never met a pastry, cookie, cake, pie, coffeecake, variety of ice cream, piece of fudge or divinity that he didn’t like. Not endorsed by the medical field for sure was another motto that occasionally got him into hot water “Life is uncertain—eat dessert first.” Doug appreciated the value of old, storied items steeped in history. Many a Saturday morning found him reveling in treasures at garage or estate sales. Old trains and their memorabilia had a special place in his heart, likely stoked by his brother Scott’s childhood model train that ran around on a track. Vintage cars and their parts, antique furniture and century-old pocket watches made their way into his heart and into his collections. He could recite the history of each with amazing accuracy and endless enthusiasm. Notorious was his love for gracefully aging Volvo’s, in particular 544’s born in the 1960’s. When you see one of those pass you on the street, count that as a wink from Doug. It’s a real possibility you know, since his nephew Christopher is restoring the last one that Doug owned. Doug remembered vivid details about people’s lives, their stories, their families—and yes, their cars. He delighted in helping and connecting with those he encountered—in his neighborhood, at work, the lumber store, the hospital, pocket-watch collector picnics, dialysis, Auto Zone, the post office, or Bi-mart. He possessed a uniquely keen ability to connect with nearly everyone and was deeply interested in their lives. Often, within a few minutes of meeting someone, he was able to recite where they grew up, how many kids they had, what business their parents owned, their hobbies, what type of pets they cared for, and what make and model of vehicle carried them to and fro. He was never too busy to lend a hand, a tool, or an idea to your recent dilemma. If you took your “me” problem to Doug, it promptly became a “we” solution. New and old friends alike enjoyed Doug’s quiet, funny, generous, curious and loyal personality. He could also hold his own in the age-old Kienle sarcasm department. However, he failed miserably with the execution of any practical joke attempted in-person; he simply could not hold in his grin or his infamous chuckle. Even if he turned around to hide his tell-all face, you could see his shoulders shaking to the rhythm of his belly laugh. Doug will be missed dearly by many. Because he touched many thousands of lives directly, he left lasting positive energy and invaluable knowledge in the lives of tens of thousands of others whose lives they in turn touched. He is well remembered as a kind, gentle, slightly mischievous, tenacious man, long on patience, creativity, generosity, resourcefulness and friendliness. The voids he leaves are numerous, varied and deep. He is survived by his wife Katherin, daughters Kristy and Kimberly, sons-in-law Rick and Justin, grandchildren Nicholas, Bryce and Hailey, and his brothers Keith, Mike and Scott, as well as his sister Mary. Also mourning his loss are many nephews and nieces, brothers-and sisters-in law, and countless friends—new and old. We invite you to join us in celebrating Doug’s deeply meaningful life and lasting legacy. We will gather on Saturday, December 7th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Historic Old School House on the grounds of the Children’s Farm Home at 4455 NE Hwy 20 in Corvallis. We are eager to hear your memories of this quirky, friendly guy and hope that you will come prepared with a written story to leave or share aloud. If inclement weather or sickness prevents you from attending at the last minute, would you be so kind as to send your words through this website? We are collecting stories, antidotes, memories in writing and via recordings from voice memos on smart phones. Not a public speaker? Someone will be available to read aloud for you. Watch for instructions here both about viewing the live stream of Doug’s celebration and for the videorecording that will be available later. Don’t forget to let us know who you are and how you got to know Doug. For guests consideration: The Children's Farm Home is hosting Christmas giving trees around town to support children without families or those with families unable to purchase gifts. Many of these youth are separated from their families and face significant challenges during this time. While specific items can be donated for individual children, no tree will be present at the service. By 12/7, the facility will be finalizing their wrapping of collected items and identifying unmet needs. In lieu of flowers, Doug would be most grateful for cash or check donations to help purchase remaining items. These children have endured significant loss and trauma; donations can make a meaningful difference. Envelopes will be available at the service for those wishing to contribute NOTES ON DIRECTIONS AND PARKING: In Historic Old Schoolhouse/Cafe of The Children's Farm home. May see signage for Trillium Family Services (parent company). About equal-distance between Twedt's farm and Garland Nursery, on the opposite side of the hwy from each. Please use the entrance closer to Albany than Corvallis (see map). Will you please allow those with mobility challenges to park closest to the building? The entrance to the building is on the side facing away from Hwy 20. Once inside the building, there is a half-story climb of stairs to the left or an elevator to the right. We look forward to seeing you.

Douglas Edward Kienle

August 3, 1948 - October 31, 2024