Dudley Dewitt Douglas was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and died at his home in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico.

The Douglas family settled along the Santa Ynez River in Paradise in the mid 1950s. Dudley’s was a carefree childhood with endless freedom to roam the trails, build forts, fish and swim in the river.

Dudley was a gifted athlete and excelled in track and field and football. He competed for Santa Ynez High School until the family moved closer to town (West Camino Cielo).

He then focused on football and surfing, graduating from San Marcos High School in 1967.  On graduation from high school, he took a surf trip to Mexico with friends, and so began his love of Mexico.

In 1975 he bought property at Sun Star, near the California/Oregon border.  He built a home near the river and took up wood carving.

The winters were cold; the tradition of going to Mexico for the winter months began. Dudley loved the people, the food, tequila, the weather and surfing.

Since the early 1980s, most years he’d head to Mexico in October and return home in April — always keeping busy with commissioned pieces of art, created by “Tequila Dudley.”

He was a free spirit and lived that way. On trips to and fro, he’d stop in Santa Barbara to visit family and friends, and always enjoyed joining in with the long-time volleyball crew at East Beach.

Dudley met his wife Janine David in Mexico, and they lived in his northern California home. They had two children Adriana (deceased) and Shawn. He stayed closer to home for a few years but then resumed spending winter months in sunny Mexico.

Dudley began a relationship with Sun Star neighbor, Allison Gutshall Sullivan (she had four beautiful children) and they welcomed a son, Woody.

In recent years, Dudley received a phone call from a daughter he never knew existed (given up for adoption without his knowledge). A meeting ensued and he was thrilled to welcome adult daughter Charmagne into the family.

Dudley was a valued member of both communities and he had many close friends. He had a green thumb and enjoyed tending to his fruit trees and garden. He loved music and the arts, always supportive of other artists.

He could fix/build/create anything: complex carvings, beautiful paintings, rock walls, home remodels, creating water systems or turning sun into power.

Dudley eventually bought property and built a home in La Cruz, recently settling there full-time. He was very proud of his dual citizenship.

Forever loved by children Charmagne Howe Westcott, Shawn Douglas, Woody Douglas; siblings Aaron (Darlene) Douglas, Jena Douglas; niece Kelly Douglas; nephews James Coberly, Keith Douglas, Dylan Douglas; and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his infant daughter Adriana Douglas; sister Kim Douglas; nephews Jerome and Phillip Coberly; and parents Alice Rawsthorne Douglas and Walter Douglas.

Memorials were held at Sun Star and La Cruz. In honor of Dudley, create, purchase, or just enjoy some art and music.