CONCORD — Douglas Graham Giddens lost his battle against cancer that began in 2008 but was not diagnosed properly until 2015, and he passed away in Concord, New Hampshire on June 8, 2018 at the age of 39.
He was born on Feb. 4, 1979 in Stoneham, Massachusetts, the son of Norman Graham (deceased) and Dorothy Anne (Hunnicutt) Giddens. The family moved to New Hampshire in 1980 and lived at various places in the Hillsboro – Deering area, then in Hollis, Milford, and Jaffrey. Doug moved to Manchester where he worked as an automotive technician, then to Concord where he worked in a furniture refurbishing shop.
He got his GED, then, from New England College, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and had started working on a Master of Arts degree when the cancer got so bad that he could not continue. However, after getting the bachelor degree, he also earned a high school diploma. His comment on the order in which the education was received was, “Isn’t that the way everyone does it?”
Before his death, he published “Twisted Tales,” which is a collection of three short stories, based on well-known fairy tales with a “twist,” which can be purchased at www.twistedtales.net. He has also written other short stories, some philosophy essays, and has some novels that are not yet completed, but the plans are to get them published also.
He is survived by his mother, Dorothy Anne (Dottie); his sister and brother-in-law, Judith Anne and Benjamin Saunders; his brother, Andrew Robert Giddens; five nieces and one nephew; plus several aunts, an uncle and several cousins.
His remains have been cremated, and no burial service is currently planned. A memorial service will be held at his mother’s house in Lempster, New Hampshire on July 15, between 4 and 6 p.m. Call (802) 518-0219 for directions if you are interested in attending.
Donations can be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society.
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