James Eric Douthat

James Eric (Ric) Douthat passed away on Monday, January 20, 2025. Ric was born in Tulsa on April 10,1957 to James Gerber Douthat and Patsy Hemphill Douthat who predeceased him. He was also predeceased by loving grandparents, stepmother Carol Dick and stepbrother Bob Dick. He is survived by sister Diane Douthat Finch, brother-in-law Charles Finch, stepsister Tami Benson, stepsister Leslie Bradshaw, brother-in-law Mike Bradshaw, along with his significant other Glenda Macrae. He also is survived by his most prized processions JG Douthat, Maria Douthat Cassidy, Son-in-Law Tyler Cassidy, Hannah Douthat, William Douthat and grandson Elias Cassidy. 

Ric attended school in Tulsa and graduated from Memorial High School in 1976. He worked many years in the building trades: remodeling and construction on Tulsa homes and businesses. Ric then successfully started and ran JEDCO Repair & Maintenance Service. Ric then found his true passion as a pawn broker at Roy Oliver Jewelry and Pawn Shop. After gaining experience with Roy Oliver, Ric then ran his own pawn shop. During this time Ric met and married Patricia Myers in 1991 and they welcomed their 4 children into the world. JG Christopher Douthat, Maria Gabrielle Douthat, Hannah Marguerite Douthat and William Eric Douthat. 

Ric was the best dad anyone could have asked for; always pulling pranks and teaching his children life lessons. One of his favorite activities to do with the children was to chase trains. He would load his children into the car and drive parallel to the train tracks in Tulsa and see if they could beat the train back to the train yard. Known to many as Taco, he was an incredible friend. If at any time someone was in need, he would be there to lend support, help move in or out of houses/apartments, fix watches, or clean jewelry but most importantly spread laughter. In hopes to provide a more stable income and lifestyle for his family, Ric took a job at Baker Hughes running the forklift and machines for 20 years. 

Ric’s greatest accomplishment was the success of his 4 children. Each graduating from college and having successful careers. In 2015 Ric met and shared a companionship with Glenda Macrae, sharing adventures and spending time with each other’s family. In 2023, Ric retired from Baker Hughes and spent his last 2 years frequently visiting casinos all over Oklahoma. Ric had such a love for life and always trying to make someone laugh in his goofy ways. As adults, his children often were unamused by his jokes that he repeatedly used in their childhood, and they frequently reminded him that “you need a grandkid”. November 18, 2024, he got his dream, Elias Edward Cassidy, his first grandson was born. By the grace of God, Ric was able to meet Eli in December and instantly fell in love. Soon after Ric returned home to Oklahoma, he fell ill spending a month in the hospital leading to his passing. Ric’s spirit continues to live on in every joke, every story, and every tear as we remember what a loving and incredible man James Eric Douthat was. 

A memorial will be held 11:30am, Friday, January 24, 2025, at The Church of Saint Mary, 1347 East 49th Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105.

A Tribute from His Son

Success, as a wise man once said, is when you reach the end of your life and the people that you want to love you, do love you. No statement could be truer for my dad. 

From families to friends to strangers, he was renowned as someone easy to get along with, someone who always seemed to leave you laughing. He was in constant search of ways to help those around him — a trait he inherited from his father and worked tirelessly to instill in his own children.

Since his passing, I have been flooded with memories of his heart, humor, and humbleness, of his ability to sit there silently yet still be the funniest person in the room. Though at times he may have appeared solitary, those closest to him knew these moments of silence were spent thinking through his next prank, inevitably leading to another “Ric Story.”

These stories ranged from the time his family played Secret Santa, only to find out on Christmas Day that they had all somehow drawn Ric as the person to buy a gift for, to the time he convinced his mother-in-law to crawl on hands and knees through her hallway as a method for testing her new alarm system.

For every story of his humor, though, there are even more of his generosity and kindness.

At a moment's notice, he would be at one’s home, ready to lend a hand in any way he could. There was no hesitation or expectation of a favor in return. He helped family and friends for the simple pleasure of helping family and friends.

When he wasn’t pulling pranks or helping others, his time was spent crafting phrases that, despite your best efforts, you’d never get out of your head. The most notable of which —“we’re off like a herd of turtles”— went from a funny way of saying goodbye to the final words of his toast at my eldest sister’s wedding.

All of these moments compounded into a human who was utterly loved by those around him. With so many wonderful moments and memories, I can’t help but wonder: how can he be gone? A question I have asked myself over and over, until the truth finally set in.

And the truth is that he isn’t gone.

While his body may no longer be with us, his spirit is as alive as ever. He lives on through all the “Ric Stories” ingrained in his family and friends; through the qualities that his kids have derived from him, and through the lessons that we will pass on to our own children.

So long as the stories are shared, so long as the love, goodwill, and generosity remain, so long as all those traits that made Ric the person he was continue through his family, his friends, and his heirs, he will never truly be gone from our lives.

With Eternal Love,

William Eric Douthat