Alan Craig Douglas died on Sept. 18, 2017, in his home in Chicago after a long illness.
He was born in Montclair to Dr. Frederick W. Douglas and Daisy Douglas on Sept. 24, 1949.
He graduated from Montclair High School in 1967, and went on to study journalism at the University of Michigan. He also completed a fellowship at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
He went to work as a freelance reporter in Cleveland, Ohio and Omaha Nebraska before settling in Chicago in the 1970s. He worked as a reporter at the Chicago Sun Times, and later worked as a writer at the Chicago Transit Authority, where he retired from several years ago.
After his retirement, Mr. Douglas returned to playing guitar — in high school, he had played in Mario and the Immortals — in his spare time in Chicago. He also loved seeing live music. When he was not able to get to a concert, he enjoyed listening to music from his vast collection of CDs, records and cassette tapes.
Mr. Douglas was predeceased by his parents, and is survived by his sister, Dr. Elaine Douglas; his niece, Dawn Page, and her family; his aunt, Louise Douglas; and many cousins and friends.
The family will be receiving friends on Friday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Martin’s Home for Services, 48 Elm St., Montclair. A service looking back on his life will take place at about 12:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Fred and Daisy Douglas Scholarship Fund at Howard University at njbison.org.