Doug Tarrant died peacefully Thursday, September 10, 2020 in Italy, Texas at the age of 83 after heroically fighting a multi-year battle with Parkinson's.

Willard Douglas Tarrant was born November 26, 1936 in Eula, Texas to Willard Hilton and Catheron Tarrant.  Following high school and after receiving an Associate's degree in Radio & TV engineering, he enlisted in the Army in 1958, where he attended Signal School before being deployed to related stints in New Jersey as well as the US Army Arctic Test Center at Fort Churchill in Manitoba, Canada.  Ultimately, he ended his enlisted service providing signal missile support at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico before being honorably discharged to the US Army Reserve in 1961.

Following his military service, Doug enrolled at Texas A&M University eventually earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering and finding himself in Dallas at Texas Instruments (TI).  In 1976, he remarried after meeting Dortha Powell, while working at TI.  Eventually, he and Dortha moved back to the Tarrant family farm in Eula, where Doug began working for Schlumberger in Abilene.  In the years that followed, the couple established a full life on the farm growing a beautiful vegetable garden, raising livestock like pigs and goats as well as farming the land for the local sale of related harvests like oats and corn.  After his retirement, they even added bee hives to the mix.

Doug's children remember him as a driven, intelligent math wiz who also loved a good prank and whose laughter could always be heard above the low roar of a crowded room or in the middle of annual family reunions that he loved so much.  A quick-witted and dedicated family man, he loved farming, working with his hands and following Aggie football.  He was also passionate about horses, frequently attending the various equine events staged at the Expo Center of Taylor County including the Western Heritage Classic.  Before relocating with Dortha to Forreston, Texas so that they could be closer to his kids and grandkids, Doug could often be found in town at the Eula Cafe cussing and discussing current events and local happenings with Cafe regulars over early-morning coffee.

Doug Tarrant is survived by his wife, Dortha Housley Tarrant; his children, Debra Ashford & her husband Mike of Mesquite, Texas and Vicki Tarrant of Whitesboro, Texas; as well as his sister Gaye Cranfill & her husband Randy of Eula, Texas. Doug also has five surviving children by marriage including Freida Bearden & her husband Jessie; Danny Powell & wife Debbie and Randy Powell & wife Connie all of Albuquerque, NM as well as Patrica Dossett of Midlothian, Texas and Belinda McGuffin & husband Don of Waxahachie, Texas.  He has 23 grandchildren and countless great-grandchildren and is preceded in death by his parents Willard H. Tarrant & Catheron E. Collins Tarrant both of Eula as well as his brother Billy Jesse Tarrant from Clyde.

A small graveside service is scheduled for 11 a.m. September 16 ^th at Eula Cemetery.  Pastor Larry Hooper will officiate the ceremony under the direction of Bailey-Howard Funeral Home of Clyde.  All are welcome to attend and celebrate Doug's life, and all are encouraged to follow COVID-related precautions as recommended by the State of Texas including wearing face coverings.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Parkinson's Foundation or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at https://www.parkinson.org/ways-to-give and https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate respectively.  Condolences can be logged at http://www.baileyhowardfuneralhome.com/obits .

Finally, the family would like to thank the many caregivers, nurses and staff affiliated with Trinity Nursing & Rehabilitation of Italy, Texas for their dedication and effort to provide comfort and quality care to Doug, especially during a worldwide pandemic that prevented the family from spending regular time with him in his final months of life.