Ward Douglas Werner of Dripping Springs, Texas died peacefully on July 8, 2024 at the age of 76.

He was born in Grand Island, Nebraska on December 22, 1947 to Harold and Kay (Keggin) Werner. Harold served with distinction during the Second World War followed by a career as a gifted salesman in the Omaha area. Kay was a vibrant artist who inspired her sons and those around her.

Doug graduated from West Des Moines Valley High School. He completed his undergraduate degree in political science with a minor in history at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Doug went on to obtain his Doctorate of Jurisprudence at Drake. While there, he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and enjoyed participating in the Drake Marathon Relays.

Doug met Karen Theresa Waters at Drake and they married in between his Bachelors and Doctorate degrees. They subsequently moved to Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin where Doug pursued a career in private practice as a trial attorney. The Burlington Northern Railroad (now BNSF Railway) pursued Doug to work in-house and he was employed in the legal department for over 20 years, moving from Minnesota, to Kansas, and ultimately to Fort Worth, Texas. Doug and Karen retired in Dripping Springs, Texas and Broomfield, Colorado.

Beyond work, Doug had an active life pursuing his hobbies of hiking, running, traveling, photography, and Husker Football. He was an avid reader of many genres with a special interest in murder mysteries and John Steinbeck. Throughout his life, Doug enjoyed traveling the world with Karen, experiencing different countries and cultures, and taking many beautiful photographs of the places they traveled.

Doug is preceded in death by his parents Harold and Kay, and is survived by his brother Thomas, his wife Karen, his children Brian (his wife April), Megan (her husband Steven), and Katelyn (her significant other Jason), and five grandchildren.

Funeral Service will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, July 21, 2024 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Burial will follow at Granada Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you support independent bookstores, never stop learning, and live life to the fullest.