Born in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 3, 1951, to August Edward Vogel and Dorothy, Doug Vogel grew up in Van Nuys, California, and Woodland Hills, California.
Doug loved the big Pacific blue ocean and we would ride our bikes to Huntington Beach for street tacos. He was a born drummer, playing at the age of 2 years on Mom’s pots and pans. He was an awesome truck driver and helped me learn to drive and back into our driveway. Doug was my best man at my wedding in 1984, and he knew he was an uncle in 1992. Doug loved going to concerts, drive-in movies, and we saw many of the awesome groups back then.
Doug was my protector while growing up. He would help Dad cut the lawn in Woodland Hills. He worked at Armstrong Nursery as a truck driver and knew so many names of plants.
Doug loved the Mojave Desert, where our grandparents lived, and he would take long walks with his grandpa Frank, learning so much about the pump house, the well, checking the cable and always sitting on the green rock, which is still there.
Doug leaves a heart-broken sister, Nancy Mauthe (Vogel); brother-in-law, Charles; and only nephew, Edward.
Doug, I know you are in rock ’n’ roll heaven with Mom and Dad, playing your music you so loved. Every day, I would play you music that we picked. Maybe you could hear it, maybe not, but in my heart, I know you could because your nurses at the hospital would tell me he’s keeping the beat in his own little world.
The Crystal Ship took you home on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. That night we all saw a shooting start and I knew you made it.
A private family ceremony will be in California. To honor Doug’s memory, please donate in his name to the UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, California, 90025 (1-310-825-8260). Rock on, rock in my brother.
