Douglas "Doug" Aubrey Blaylock

Douglas Aubrey Blaylock June 22, 1953 – January 21, 2026

Douglas “Doug” Blaylock—a man of profound faith, sharp wit, and a legendary mustache—passed away on January 21, 2026, at the age of 72.  

To many, Doug was a pillar.  As a church elder and a steady hand on any job site, he was the person others naturally turned to for guidance.  He was a father figure to many and a mentor to anyone willing to learn, offering a kind of wisdom that was as practical as it was insightful.  Whether he was talking shop with fellow tradesmen or sharing his heart with his church family, Doug had a way of making people feel seen and guided.  

Doug married Janice Crandon at age 22.  Though they had known of one another in high school, their relationship truly began after Doug returned from his military service during the Vietnam era.  In the 1980s, Doug and Jan experienced a spiritual turning point as they became followers of Jesus Christ.  The change in Doug was noticeable to all who knew him; his nature softened and deepened, and he began to have a profound effect on those around him.  For decades, stories have poured in from people Doug touched at various points in their lives—lives changed sometimes by words he’d spoken into them, and sometimes simply by witnessing his own.  

He and Jan raised two sons, Joshua and Jonathan, through a life of hard work, sacrifice, and a commitment to creating lasting family memories.  They stood by one another through thick and thin for 46 years until her passing in 2021.  

In a beautiful second chapter, Doug was blessed to find love again with Susan Gaffney, a longtime overseas missionary to the peoples of the Himalayas, who had returned from the field and was serving as the Dean of Students at Manna University.  In an amazing love story, with the Lord being the primary matchmaker, Doug and Susan were brought together by truly miraculous and fortuitous means.  They married in July 2022 and spent three and a half years dedicated to a vibrant life of love of God, one another, their families, and their friends. In their union, God fulfilled their hearts’ desires in ways they didn’t even know could be found in life together.  They were truly God’s gift to one another and to all those they impacted together.  

A remarkably industrious man, Doug believed in doing a thing right the first time.  He balanced that drive with a love for golf, and of card games; while Doug certainly loved to excel and to win, the game was usually just a front for the real prize—quality time spent in sharp, friendly competition.  He leaves behind a legacy of integrity, a trail of well-timed jokes, and a community of people who are better for having known him.  

Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Aubrey Cecil Blaylock and Gerda Overbeck Blaylock; his first wife, Janice; his brother, Patrick; and his sister, Sharon.  

Doug is survived by his wife, Susan; his son, Joshua; his son, Jonathan and Jon's wife Misty; and his grandchildren Cinthya, Mayci, Allison, Samarah, Taylor, Benjamin, and Gabriel.  He is also survived by his siblings: Rolf, Dagmar, Marion, Robert, and Alex; many nieces and nephews and other extended family; as well as a vast network of friends, colleagues, and mentees who will miss his "Tom Selleck" smile.  

If you have a favorite picture or memory you'd like to share, please do!  You can share them here, or give one of us a call, or contact us on Facebook.  We'd love to re-live and re-love some memories of Doug with and through you!  

To honor and remember and celebrate our husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, and mentor, a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 3:00 PM at River House Church, 3901 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC.  Feel free to come early!