Douglas Dee Mustain November 2, 1945 - September 15, 2021
Local attorney and community leader Douglas Dee Mustain passed away at the age of 75 on September 15, 2021. He leaves behind a wife of 54 years, six children and six grandchildren.
Doug was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on November 2, 1945, and shortly thereafter adopted by Reginald and Dorothy Mustain of Cameron, Illinois. He was raised on a farm just southwest of Galesburg. The farm was built by his grandfather, Roland Mustain, whom he spent much of his time with and very much admired. Doug raised cattle and hogs, worked long hours on the farm. In school he played football and he wrestled. Some may remember him by his nickname, the "Mule Trainer." He graduated from Galesburg High School in 1963 and has helped plan and attended most of his class reunions over the years.
When he was 20 he enlisted in the Army. During his enlistment he received the Army Commendation Medal with first Oak Leaf Cluster. Before he went to fight in the Vietnam War, he met and fell in love with Shari Tegarden from Indianapolis, Indiana. The two got engaged after a 3 week courtship and married before he shipped overseas. He spent one tour in the Vietnam War, an experience which he attributed to not only changing his religious outlook, but also inspired him to dedicate himself to making the world a better place.
When he returned from Vietnam, he attended college at University of Illinois while he and Shari started a family. They then moved to lowa City for him to attend law school at the University of Iowa and received his Juris Doctor. In lowa City he clerked at the law firm of Shulman, Phelan, Tucker, Boyle & Mullin.
In 1974, Doug and Shari moved to Galesburg to be closer to his parents and he was hired on as an associate at the law firm of Stuart, Neagle & West. Two years later he was promoted to partner. Over the course of his career he was a founding partner in the firms of Mustain & Lindstrom and Mustain Lindstrom & Henson. He ended his lifelong career at Mustain Law Office. Some of the community organizations he served were: Instructor real estate law at Carl Sandburg College, Board of Directors of the YMCA, Board of Directors of Cottage Hospital, Trustee of First United Presbyte rian Church, Commissioner for Galesburg Public Transportation Commis sion. However most will remember Doug as a local soccer coach, having founded the local youth soccer programs alongside District Attorney Ray Kimble and several other parents in the early 1980s. Between 1980 and 2009, Doug coached hundreds of Knox County youths in soccer and other sports. In 1983, 1987, and 1988, he helped to organize the Citizens Referendum committee and was successful in passing 2 of the 3 referendums. His dedication to community organizations resulted in him being awarded the Phi Delta Kappa, Outstanding Citizen Award (1988), Rotary Service Above Self Award (1993), and the Chamber of Commerce Thomas P. Herring Award (2004).
After his oldest daughter having cheer practice until midnight one school night due to limited gym space and Athletic Director Mike Hellenthal coming to a Galesburg Athletic Booster Club meeting with concerns about athletic funding, Doug formed the Galesburg Public Schools Foun dation, a nonprofit to supplement the school district's needs. The first project the GPSF took on of raising funds to build an auxiliary gym and pool. Between 1988 and 1993, the GPSF raised $1.2 million dollars in private funds to build the new gym and pool for Galesburg High School. The gym was named after GHS alumnus Gracie Wicall, the wife of the largest individual donor, C.J. Gauthier. It was a surprise and a profound honor that the school board chose to name the pool Douglas D. Mustain Pool.
His hobbies included marksmanship, soccer, racquetball, weightlifting, and he had a love of film, whether it be watching movies with his family or spur-of-the-moment getting out the camcorder and walking around the house to catch his kids in action. An only child, he looked in awe at his six children and seeing how creative and funny they were. He looked on his grandchildren with this same awe until his dying breath.
In his law practice, he took on cases big and small. Doug never turned anyone away. He provided pro bono legal services for many local non-profits some of those being the Orpheum Theatre and the Knox County Partnership f/k/a GREDA. He dedicated his life to helping people and building community. He wanted Galesburg to be a great place to live for everyone, rich or poor.
He leaves behind his wife, Sharon Lee Mustain (née Tegarden). His daughter, Kristi Kaye, her son Jack Lanciloti, his fiancée Sydney Donald son, and Kristi's daughter Lydia Perez. His daughter Kari Dee, her husband Jim Powell, their son Drake, and daughter Claire. His son Kenton Douglas, his wife Tara, their two sons Caleb and Cameron. His son Kyle Robert. His son Kirk Stephen. His daughter Kali Elizabeth, her wife Michelle White and Kali's stepchildren Oliver, Celia, and Edmund Anderson. Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Reginald Kline and Dorothy Jane Mustain (née Green).
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