Douglas Eugene Yeckley
April 1, 1937 – November 26, 2024

Douglas Eugene Yeckley, 87, of Lusby, Maryland passed away peacefully on November 26, 2024 with his loving wife at his side.
He was born to the late Maurice Thomas and Dorothea Burke Yeckley on April 1, 1937, at their home in Phelps, New York. He was the fourth and last child with a sister, a brother, and a sister who passed away before he was born.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Natalie M.G. Yeckley; daughter Ann; daughter Judy(Jaye); son Bruce(Jeanine); son Keith(Stephanie); grandchildren Jason, Natalie, Julia, Travis, David, Heather, Bryan, Abigail, Owen; and great grandchildren Douglas, Hailey, Hannah, Draedyn, Kainoah, Sarah, Jamez, Blake, Noah, and Emily.
Mr. Yeckley completed high school at Phelps Central School and graduated from American University with a BS degree in Administration of Criminal Justice. He served in the US Army for 3 years as a Military Policemen and in the Coast Guard Reserve for 24 years and retired as a Senior Chief Port Security man. In the last years of his Reserve Duty, he joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary which he served until his death. During this service to his country, he received 23 ribbons and awards including the Army Achievement Medal.
After discharge from active duty in 1960, Mr. Yeckley joined the Metropolitan Washington DC Police Department and retired in 1980 as a Patrol Sargent.
As a child he joined the Boy Scouts of America. He received the Arrow of Light, the highest rank in Cub Scouts, and the Eagle Scout Award, the highest rank in Boy Scouts. He served as a boy in almost every office in his troop including Jr. Asst. Scoutmaster. As an adult he served as Asst. Scoutmaster, Asst. Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, and Neighborhood Commissioner. He also was selected for the Order of the Arrow in 1954, a society of Scout Honor Campers, and was awarded Vigil in 1973, the highest honor of the Order.
In 1972, Mr. Yeckley became the found of Sea Scout Ship 1071 in Tacoma Park, MD and became its Skipper. In 1980 he became Skipper of Ship 909 in Prince Frederick, MD. Still later, in 1998, the Skipper of Ship 548 in Avenue, MD. He was elected Commodore of Sea Scouting in the Rear Commodore of Sea Scouting in the Southeast Region and the Northeast Region for many years.
He attended 8 BSA National Jamborees from 1980 to 2010 in the Coast Guard contingent serving as the Office in Charge of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
Mr. Yeckley has received numerous Scouting Awards including Order of the Monkey Fist, District award of Merit, Council Silver Beaver, Council Squadron Leadership, James E West, Training award, Skipper’s Key, Thomas J. Keane, Sea Badge, Regional Venturing Leadership, and the NE Regional Longstreth Carey Leadership Award.
The family would like to note that this obituary was written by Douglas himself. When his wife asked him to do so, his response was, “Yes, Dear.”
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boy Scouts of America at http://donations.scouting.org/
Visitation
Services
- Funeral Service
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
2:00 PM
Interment
- Burial
Contributions
Condolences
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Skipper Yeckley, along with Skippers Crabtree and Skipper Nygard all took me under their mentoring guidance back in the year 2000, when I joined Sea Scout Ship 1942 as a new rookie Skipper, after serving 8 years as a BSA Scoutmaster. I will be forever grateful for Doug’s guidance, myriad of ideas, and his hands on support in everything to the many Catoctin Winter Training weekends, Henry Nygard Regattas, Chesapeake Bay Rendezvous, hosting many NCAC Ship Christmas Parties in Avenue MD, annual Sea Scout Wardroom Dinners, Northeast Regional Bridges of Honor and Balls, SEAL training courses aboard der PeLiKaN. Doug belongs on the Sea Scout version of Mount Rushmore along with Skipper Frederick Tilp (last century author of “This was Potomac River”). Fair winds and Following Seas Doug Yeckley, you were one of a kind and one of Sea Scouting’s greatest Skippers over our entire one hundred plus years history.
Don’t Give up the Ship,
Skipper Emeritus Tom Ballew
Ship 1942
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Skipper Yeckley, along with Skippers Crabtree and Skipper Nygard all took me under their mentoring guidance back in the year 2000, when I joined Sea Scout Ship 1942 as a new rookie Skipper, after serving 8 years as a BSA Scoutmaster. I will be forever grateful for Doug’s guidance, myriad of ideas, and his hands on support in everything to the many Catoctin Winter Training weekends, Henry Nygard Regattas, Chesapeake Bay Rendezvous, hosting many NCAC Ship Christmas Parties in Avenue MD, annual Sea Scout Wardroom Dinners, Northeast Regional Bridges of Honor and Balls, SEAL training courses aboard der PeLiKaN. Doug belongs on the Sea Scout version of Mount Rushmore along with Skipper Frederick Tilp (last century author of “This was Potomac River”). Fair winds and Following Seas Doug Yeckley, you were one of a kind and one of Sea Scouting’s greatest Skippers over our entire one hundred plus years history.
Don’t Give up the Ship,
Skipper Emeritus Tom Ballew
Ship 1942
I am so sorry for your loss. Mr. Yeckley was the Skipper of Ship 909 when I was in Sea Scouts. So many great memories. Mr. Yeckley was always so patient. My deepest sympathies.
Kim Brown Cowles