Terry Lee Dill

As one Doug's sculpture students some 35 years ago, I
thought about and remembered a hundred stories of the
times we spent together. I don't think that Doug ever
knew how important he was to me. He was my teacher, my
friend, and one my greatest mentors. He was the
approving father of my career in the arts.

I cried when I first hear the news of his passing. I
still quote him from time to time. He always passed on
his lessons in life.

I owe him a lot because he always gave me the freedom
to do my work and trusted in my talent to execute it
in my own creative way. I would stay up for 2 or 3
days at time working on my sculpture because he was
such a great inspiration. He somehow made you want to
please him and work hard even when he knew that you
would be the one that gained from the experience. You
could always trust that down deep he would be honest
with you.

There was the time I was worked on a kinetic sculpture
with two or three electric motors. It was very complex
piece and I had little experience with such things.
After six months, Doug finally offered to buy the
piece from me - I said "what for? I didn't even think
you liked it". "I don't" he said," I want take a
hammer to it and destroy it. It's a bad piece Terry,
please, please get rid this piece of crap!" I stopped
working on the piece two weeks later. It took a huge
load off my mind. He knew he was doing it for my
benefit. Doug had a great sense of humor, he use to
make me laugh so hard that tears would come to my
eyes.

He was always taking care of me. He once saved my ass
in bar fight. I got myself in trouble with some locals
on one of our motorcycle trips and he pulled me out
before half the bar came after me.

Doug taught me so many things. He was so generous with
his time. My goal has been to be the best artist I
could be and make him proud of me.

I spent a lot time with Doug, Bonnie, and Mike. They
were all so supportive and were like a second family.
When I was told I only had six months to live because
of my heart condition, Doug was the only person aside
from my mother who showed up in my hospital room at
the Mayo Clinic (by the way I'm still ticking 35 years
later).

He was great man, great person, great friend and he
will never be gone from my heart. I will get misty
eyed when I think about him in the future. He will
continue to live in my thoughts until I die.