The Columbian
Vancouver, WA
Tuesday, 11 July 1995
D. Elwood Caples, a dominant force in Vancouver and Clark County government and civic affairs from the early 1930s to the late '70s, died Sunday at age 95.
A graveside service for Caples, who died at his Vancouver home, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Park Hill Cemetery in Vancouver, 5915 E. Mill Plain Blvd.
Public housing, public power, veterans' interests and politics were among top interests of Caples, whose long record of service here has been rarely matched.
Over his decades as a Vancouver attorney and civic activist, Caples was probably best known for his 35 years as chairman of the Vancouver Housing Authority, starting in the boom years of World War II. He was the driving local force behind construction of homes on McLoughlin Heights, Fruit Valley and elsewhere in Vancouver to accommodate the sudden influx of more than 50,000 shipyard workers and their families early in World War II.
He also organized and served as longtime attorney for the Clark County Public Utility District (now Clark Public Utilities), was Vancouver city attorney, brewery president, a Democratic party leader and American Legion official.
"He was the epitome of what a public citizen should be," said D. Michael Heywood, Columbian editorial page editor, who had once interviewed Caples. "He had a good, hard-headed approach to getting things done, and an understanding about what had to be done. And he didn't want a lot of credit for himself."
Douglas Elwood Caples was born Feb. 25, 1900, in Vancouver. He graduated from the old Vancouver High School, at 26th and Main streets, and the University of Washington. During his university career, Caples worked briefly as a reporter for The Columbian.
He was graduated from the university's law school in 1924, and started practicing law at Vancouver in 1925 with Roy Sugg.
In 1926 he married Martha Bell Glass of Ione, Wash., a teacher who had been a fellow student at the university. She died in June 1994.
In 1928, Caples was elected city attorney and served for 12 years. During this time the city acquired the local private water company. Caples also convinced the City Council it should sponsor and build Kiggins Bowl as a Works Progress Administration project.
After Prohibition was repealed, Caples was vice president of Star Brewery Co., which would later become Lucky Lager and General Brewing. He was named president in 1939.
Politics and PUD
Caples was elected chairman of the 1934 Democratic state convention, and from 1938 to 1940 served as chairman of the State Central Committee. He served as campaign chairman for former Gov. Clarence Martin's second term.
Caples was involved in the successful effort to establish, by popular vote, Clark County Public Utility District at the November 1938 general election. Commissioners of the new PUD appointed Caples the first PUD attorney.
The Columbian, which had opposed establishment of the PUD, also had sparred editorially with Caples on other issues.
Caples' daughter, Barbara, who worked as a Columbian reporter while attending high school and the University of Washington, said a reporter told her in the 1940s "Barbara got the one job in town no one could say her father got for her."
Vancouver, WA
Tuesday, 11 July 1995
D. Elwood Caples, a dominant force in Vancouver and Clark County government and civic affairs from the early 1930s to the late '70s, died Sunday at age 95.
A graveside service for Caples, who died at his Vancouver home, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Park Hill Cemetery in Vancouver, 5915 E. Mill Plain Blvd.
Public housing, public power, veterans' interests and politics were among top interests of Caples, whose long record of service here has been rarely matched.
Over his decades as a Vancouver attorney and civic activist, Caples was probably best known for his 35 years as chairman of the Vancouver Housing Authority, starting in the boom years of World War II. He was the driving local force behind construction of homes on McLoughlin Heights, Fruit Valley and elsewhere in Vancouver to accommodate the sudden influx of more than 50,000 shipyard workers and their families early in World War II.
He also organized and served as longtime attorney for the Clark County Public Utility District (now Clark Public Utilities), was Vancouver city attorney, brewery president, a Democratic party leader and American Legion official.
"He was the epitome of what a public citizen should be," said D. Michael Heywood, Columbian editorial page editor, who had once interviewed Caples. "He had a good, hard-headed approach to getting things done, and an understanding about what had to be done. And he didn't want a lot of credit for himself."
Douglas Elwood Caples was born Feb. 25, 1900, in Vancouver. He graduated from the old Vancouver High School, at 26th and Main streets, and the University of Washington. During his university career, Caples worked briefly as a reporter for The Columbian.
He was graduated from the university's law school in 1924, and started practicing law at Vancouver in 1925 with Roy Sugg.
In 1926 he married Martha Bell Glass of Ione, Wash., a teacher who had been a fellow student at the university. She died in June 1994.
In 1928, Caples was elected city attorney and served for 12 years. During this time the city acquired the local private water company. Caples also convinced the City Council it should sponsor and build Kiggins Bowl as a Works Progress Administration project.
After Prohibition was repealed, Caples was vice president of Star Brewery Co., which would later become Lucky Lager and General Brewing. He was named president in 1939.
Politics and PUD
Caples was elected chairman of the 1934 Democratic state convention, and from 1938 to 1940 served as chairman of the State Central Committee. He served as campaign chairman for former Gov. Clarence Martin's second term.
Caples was involved in the successful effort to establish, by popular vote, Clark County Public Utility District at the November 1938 general election. Commissioners of the new PUD appointed Caples the first PUD attorney.
The Columbian, which had opposed establishment of the PUD, also had sparred editorially with Caples on other issues.
Caples' daughter, Barbara, who worked as a Columbian reporter while attending high school and the University of Washington, said a reporter told her in the 1940s "Barbara got the one job in town no one could say her father got for her."
The Columbian
Vancouver, WA
Tuesday, 11 July 1995
D. Elwood Caples, a dominant force in Vancouver and Clark County government and civic affairs from the early 1930s to the late '70s, died Sunday at age 95.
A graveside service for Caples, who died at his Vancouver home, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Park Hill Cemetery in Vancouver, 5915 E. Mill Plain Blvd.
Public housing, public power, veterans' interests and politics were among top interests of Caples, whose long record of service here has been rarely matched.
Over his decades as a Vancouver attorney and civic activist, Caples was probably best known for his 35 years as chairman of the Vancouver Housing Authority, starting in the boom years of World War II. He was the driving local force behind construction of homes on McLoughlin Heights, Fruit Valley and elsewhere in Vancouver to accommodate the sudden influx of more than 50,000 shipyard workers and their families early in World War II.
He also organized and served as longtime attorney for the Clark County Public Utility District (now Clark Public Utilities), was Vancouver city attorney, brewery president, a Democratic party leader and American Legion official.
"He was the epitome of what a public citizen should be," said D. Michael Heywood, Columbian editorial page editor, who had once interviewed Caples. "He had a good, hard-headed approach to getting things done, and an understanding about what had to be done. And he didn't want a lot of credit for himself."
Douglas Elwood Caples was born Feb. 25, 1900, in Vancouver. He graduated from the old Vancouver High School, at 26th and Main streets, and the University of Washington. During his university career, Caples worked briefly as a reporter for The Columbian.
He was graduated from the university's law school in 1924, and started practicing law at Vancouver in 1925 with Roy Sugg.
In 1926 he married Martha Bell Glass of Ione, Wash., a teacher who had been a fellow student at the university. She died in June 1994.
In 1928, Caples was elected city attorney and served for 12 years. During this time the city acquired the local private water company. Caples also convinced the City Council it should sponsor and build Kiggins Bowl as a Works Progress Administration project.
After Prohibition was repealed, Caples was vice president of Star Brewery Co., which would later become Lucky Lager and General Brewing. He was named president in 1939.
Politics and PUD
Caples was elected chairman of the 1934 Democratic state convention, and from 1938 to 1940 served as chairman of the State Central Committee. He served as campaign chairman for former Gov. Clarence Martin's second term.
Caples was involved in the successful effort to establish, by popular vote, Clark County Public Utility District at the November 1938 general election. Commissioners of the new PUD appointed Caples the first PUD attorney.
The Columbian, which had opposed establishment of the PUD, also had sparred editorially with Caples on other issues.
Caples' daughter, Barbara, who worked as a Columbian reporter while attending high school and the University of Washington, said a reporter told her in the 1940s "Barbara got the one job in town no one could say her father got for her."
Vancouver, WA
Tuesday, 11 July 1995
D. Elwood Caples, a dominant force in Vancouver and Clark County government and civic affairs from the early 1930s to the late '70s, died Sunday at age 95.
A graveside service for Caples, who died at his Vancouver home, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Park Hill Cemetery in Vancouver, 5915 E. Mill Plain Blvd.
Public housing, public power, veterans' interests and politics were among top interests of Caples, whose long record of service here has been rarely matched.
Over his decades as a Vancouver attorney and civic activist, Caples was probably best known for his 35 years as chairman of the Vancouver Housing Authority, starting in the boom years of World War II. He was the driving local force behind construction of homes on McLoughlin Heights, Fruit Valley and elsewhere in Vancouver to accommodate the sudden influx of more than 50,000 shipyard workers and their families early in World War II.
He also organized and served as longtime attorney for the Clark County Public Utility District (now Clark Public Utilities), was Vancouver city attorney, brewery president, a Democratic party leader and American Legion official.
"He was the epitome of what a public citizen should be," said D. Michael Heywood, Columbian editorial page editor, who had once interviewed Caples. "He had a good, hard-headed approach to getting things done, and an understanding about what had to be done. And he didn't want a lot of credit for himself."
Douglas Elwood Caples was born Feb. 25, 1900, in Vancouver. He graduated from the old Vancouver High School, at 26th and Main streets, and the University of Washington. During his university career, Caples worked briefly as a reporter for The Columbian.
He was graduated from the university's law school in 1924, and started practicing law at Vancouver in 1925 with Roy Sugg.
In 1926 he married Martha Bell Glass of Ione, Wash., a teacher who had been a fellow student at the university. She died in June 1994.
In 1928, Caples was elected city attorney and served for 12 years. During this time the city acquired the local private water company. Caples also convinced the City Council it should sponsor and build Kiggins Bowl as a Works Progress Administration project.
After Prohibition was repealed, Caples was vice president of Star Brewery Co., which would later become Lucky Lager and General Brewing. He was named president in 1939.
Politics and PUD
Caples was elected chairman of the 1934 Democratic state convention, and from 1938 to 1940 served as chairman of the State Central Committee. He served as campaign chairman for former Gov. Clarence Martin's second term.
Caples was involved in the successful effort to establish, by popular vote, Clark County Public Utility District at the November 1938 general election. Commissioners of the new PUD appointed Caples the first PUD attorney.
The Columbian, which had opposed establishment of the PUD, also had sparred editorially with Caples on other issues.
Caples' daughter, Barbara, who worked as a Columbian reporter while attending high school and the University of Washington, said a reporter told her in the 1940s "Barbara got the one job in town no one could say her father got for her."
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MARTHA B. --------- D. ELWOOD
1902-1994 CAPLES 1900-1995
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