Dr. Douglas R. Kilday

Dr. Douglas R. Kilday, age 91, of Oshkosh died on Sunday, September 6, 2020. He was born on January 8, 1929, in Milwaukee, a son of William and Helga Austreng Kilday.
Red-haired and freckled, Douglas grew up on the north side of Milwaukee, spending most summer days playing pickup baseball. He had a paper route for years; one of his customers was Bill Veeck at the old Borchert Field, who on one memorable occasion, invited Doug to have watermelon with the team (the original Brewers). Doug also caddied at Tripoli Country Club, developing a love of golf that continued throughout his life. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Stationed in Tokyo, he was chosen to serve in General Douglas MacArthur's Honor Guard at the Imperial Palace. He once found himself in the awkward position of having to ask Mrs. MacArthur for ID. He went to UW-Madison and was an English professor at UW-Oshkosh for over 35 years, known as a scholar on Shakespeare, Byron, and the Romantic poets (His dissertation on Coleridge was published as a book). He ran the college's Writing Clinic and served a term as President of the UW-O Faculty Senate.
Douglas loved poetry and literature; he was a brilliant writer and lecturer; he worked for progressive political and environmental causes; he was an athlete and top notch golfer; his artistic gifts ranged from painting to sculpture; and he was a late-in-life musician. He was a man of great integrity and honesty, yet was most known for his wit and sense of humor. No one could poke holes in the pompous or tell a story like Doug could; his description of his first attempt at making lefse was priceless.
He is survived by his wife Patricia, three sons: Douglas G. Kilday, Robert(Sue) Kilday, Dennis Kilday; one daughter, Alison Kilday; seven grandchildren: Alex(Nicole) Docta, Jonathan(Ally) Kilday, Camille Docta, Philip Docta, Andrew Kilday, Teresa Kilday, and Deirdre Kilday; three great-grandchildren: Jordin, Sawyer, Storm; one sister, Carolyn Kilday: sisters-in-law: Shirley Kilday and Gerda Kilday; brother-in-law, Ron Hauser. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, other family, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Evelyn Wruck Kilday, two brothers: Lowell and Howard, and two sisters: Kim Hauser and Mavis Savagian, and brother-in-law Mike Savagian.
A memorial service for Doug will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home-Westside, 100 Lake Pointe Dr. Oshkosh. Visitation will take place from 10:00 AM until the time of the service. A memorial has been established in his name.
The family would like to thank the staff at Lake Pointe Villa for their loving care, as well as the Asera Hospice staff, Dr. Timothy Wallace and staff, caregiver Whitney Olson, Dr. Halquist and staff, and all the family members and friends who kept him in their hearts.