Douglas Earl

Douglas Ken Earl, 78, was born Oct. 17, 1947 in Provo, Utah to Owen Ken and LuDeen Roylance Earl. 

In 1953, when he was 5 years old, the family moved to Moses Lake to the George Roylance Dairy on Potato Hill Road. He had perfect attendance in school for six years. His seventh- through ninth-grade years were at Chief Moses Junior High, where he lettered in track, football and basketball and was the junior high student body president and Honor Society president. 

He attended Moses Lake High School and again lettered in track and football. He was in band, orchestra and choir, being a student director in band and choir. He was Professor Harold Hill in “The Music Man,” the first musical ever at the high school, and as a senior was Curly in the musical play “Oklahoma.” Along with Robert Braunwart, he won the regionals and went to state in debate, was chosen to the all-state choir and was again student body president, Honor Society and class speaker at graduation in 1966. After his junior year, he was elected to Boys State and was one of two boys chosen at Boys State to represent Washington state at Boys Nation in Washington D.C. He traveled from Seattle to Washington D.C. on a train both ways to attend Boys Nation, where he was the Federalist Party’s candidate for vice president. Eventually he was voted “most likely to succeed” in his high school class and had a number of full ride scholarships for college. 

Doug postponed attending college to serve a two-year, four-month church mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Peru, Colombia and Venezuela in South America. 

Upon his return he met Connie Jones of Almo, Idaho during the first week of summer school at Brigham Young University. He proposed the first evening they met. Six days later she accepted the proposal. They were married less than two months later in the Idaho Falls temple Aug. 26, 1969. 

Doug chose Brigham Young University for his Bachelor of Science degree. He finished in 2.5 years and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1971 in the top 60 students out of the 6,500 students that graduated. Doug attended the University of Utah School of Law on a scholarship, and graduated in 2.5 years near the top of his class (Order of the Coif). He and Connie had two children born during law school, Jason Douglas Earl and Justin David Earl. Doug passed the Washington Bar exam in 1974 and began practicing with his father in Moses Lake. 

Doug served often within his church and was a scout master for five years, then the Bishop of his ward. During this time Calista Earl, Zachary Michael Earl, Ashley Earl, Samantha Earl and Isaac Earl were born. Zachary Michael Earl died in a water accident in 1980. 

In 1987, Doug and Connie with their six children were asked to be the President of a newly created proselyting mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, again in Lima, Peru. The family left Moses Lake on Christmas Day 1987 to serve 2.5 years in Lima. They returned to Moses Lake with seven children; Michael Glen Earl was born in Lima, Peru. The Peru, Lima East Mission was the top proselyting mission in the church for 1989 and 1990. 

Doug practiced law with his dad until his dad retired in 1982 and then worked with his brothers Jeff Earl, Tom Earl and Pat Earl. 

In 2004, Doug accepted a call to be a Bishop again with Young Adult Ward in Moses Lake. This was a three-year call in which he served with Glade Lybbert and Joe Wiberg and their wives. In that same weekend, Doug also started working as Grant Country Court Commissioner/Judge at the request of Janis Whitener Moberg and Richard Fitterer. He grew to love the judges, the court personnel and the county people. 

In 2008, when Michael was leaving on his mission to Paraguay, Doug and Connie accepted a call to serve in Peru for the Perpetual Education fund for the church. They spent 1.5 years there helping 1,800 Peruvians to get a higher education. While there, they were asked to spend two more years as President of the Missionary Training Center in Madrid, Spain. They helped to prepare missionaries serving in Spain, Portugal, Cape Verde, France, Italy, Ukraine and Russia. This completed 8.5 years of missions outside the United States in Spanish-speaking countries. 

Doug and Connie returned to the U.S. and split their time between Gilbert, Arizona and Moses Lake, Washington. They took care of Connie’s mother, Doris Jones. A few months after Doris died, Doug’s mom LuDeen fell and broke a hip. This precipitated a return to Moses Lake to move in the old homestead and help in the care of LuDeen Earl. She died in July 2022. 

With the dedication of Moses Lake Temple in September 2023, Doug and Connie tried to serve there two to three times a week. Doug and Connie had a very long bucket list of seeing the world. They visited 49 states and 65 countries. 

Doug is survived by his wife Connie; children Jason, Justin, Calista, Ashley, Samantha, Isaac and Michael; 34 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Please express your thoughts and memories at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories of Moses Lake, Washington.