Dr. Douglas William Vorhies PhD.

Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford The day has come that we say goodbye to Douglas William Vorhies. Doug passed away on 10/31/2024 in Oxford Mississippi after a long battle with Frontotemporal Degeneration. Doug was born in Keokuk, Iowa on August 23, 1958, to William and Mary Alice “Holly” Vorhies. He developed his lifelong love of music, reading, history, and sailing during his childhood. Doug received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University, and then his master’s degree from Western Illinois University. It was while attending Western that he met many of his closest friends, and most importantly, the love of his life, Jane. They were married in 1983. Doug and Jane built a wonderful life together. They shared a rare gift; they were each other’s best friends. They shared many interests, especially being with friends, traveling, and house projects. They were happiest when they shared them together. All it would take was a glint in the eye and a ‘hey, let’s go do’ and they were off on an adventure. When Doug decided he wanted to give up his corporate career and pursue a PhD with the goal of academia, lengthy discussions ensued. Even though Doug had established himself in the corporate world, he was always drawn back to his love of learning. Ultimately Doug and Jane agreed that he would pursue his PhD at the University of Arkansas, where he was awarded his doctorate in Marketing. Professionally, Doug will be remembered by his academic colleagues as one of the pioneers of the study of marketing capabilities. His work in this area has become central to academics and managers understanding of marketing’s role in enabling some firms to perform better than others over time. He was also a talented survey research methodologist who helped push Structural Equation Modeling into the mainstream of marketing strategy research. The thousands of citations to his published research in the field’s top journals are a lasting testament to his impact on the discipline. His easy-going and pragmatic teaching approach helped scores of PhD students master the dark arts of data analysis, and hundreds of MBA students at UW-Oshkosh, Illinois State, and Ole Miss grasp the essence of thinking strategically about marketing. His academic friends, of which there are many, will miss not only his acute observations and analytical talents but also his gentle humor, wry smiles, and not uncommon eye twinkle, all best served with an adult beverage after a long session cranking on a research project or presenting at a conference. He really is—and will long be, remembered and missed in the field. Doug is preceded in death by his father, William D. Vorhies and his mother Mary Alice (Holly) Hollingsworth Vorhies. He is survived by his wife, Jane, his brother, James Vorhies, of Oceanside, CA and his sister, Katherine Vorhies, of Marion, IA. Thank you to the staff at The Pinnacle of Oxford. They cared for Doug throughout his illness. A special thanks to Nurse Wendy Terry and PA Vera Fondren, who were with Doug through much of his journey. Another thanks to the Oxford C.A.R.E group. They provided more than support through this journey, they provided friendship and love. Visitation will be held at Coleman Funeral Home on November 23, 2024, at 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. At 4:00 pm there will be a remembrance of life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to “The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration”. https://www.theaftd.org/ Research into this disease is so important for an early diagnosis and eventually a cure. The impacts of the disease are truly horrible.

Dr. Douglas William Vorhies PhD.

August 23, 1958 - October 31, 2024

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