John W. (Jack) Doucette, M.D., retired pathologist and Col. MC USAR, was born November 1, 1930 in Lake Linden (U.P.), MI. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, in Denver on February 7, 2026.

Of French-Canadian and Lithuanian ancestry, Jack grew up between Detroit and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he was raised largely by his maternal grandparents and his Aunt Josie and Uncle Lester. He held many part time jobs as a teenager, including as a concessions vendor at Detroit Tigers baseball games and delivering groceries for and working in his Uncle Lester's grocery businesses.

Jack attended Wayne State University in Detroit and studied medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Upon graduating from medical school, he served in the Fifth General Army Hospital in Stuttgart/Bad Cannstatt, Germany, and would continue to serve for twenty-seven years in the U.S. Army Reserves. While serving in Stuttgart, he met Helga, who would become his wife. Jack and Helga married in March of 1964.

After a stint at Mound Park Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL, Jack and Helga moved to Denver, CO, at the end of 1964, where Jack joined Pathology Services, P.C. He worked for this group, primarily at Mercy Hospital, for the duration of his professional life, followed by a couple of years with a smaller private practice, before retiring. He and Helga would live in Denver until his death.

Jack grew to love the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where he became an avid skier and hiker, climbing most of the state's fifty-four fourteeners. He passed his love for the mountains and outdoor recreation on to his three children. During Jack's retirement, he and Helga enjoyed international travel, especially in Europe.

An unrelenting advocate for the underdog, Jack was beloved by many for his unpretentious, engaging, and caring nature and his wit.

Jack is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helga Doucette; his son Marc, (wife Karin, and daughter Katie); his daughter Stephanie (her daughter Eva); and his younger daughter, Cynthia Doucette-Buatti (husband John, and stepchildren Fin, Milo, and Floria).

A memorial celebration will take place at Fort Logan National Cemetery at a later date, to be determined.

Donations in memory of Jack Doucette may be made to Metro Caring , an organization dedicated to alleviating food insecurity in Colorado.