Douglas Robert Goldstein
While still waiting for the Buffalo Bills to win the big one, the hockey Sabres to reach the playoffs, his Carlisle Chiefs boys tennis team to make it to the state tournament, and the NC State Wolfpack to continually beat the Tar Heels, Douglas Goldstein passed away on October 20, 2025, after his latest 2+ year battle with small bowel and liver cancer.
The crowning achievement of his life in addition to his two daughters was his 38+ year marriage to Liz, having tied the knot only 7 months following their chance encounter at Providence Road Sundries in Charlotte. Having just returned bearded from a week-long vacation, Liz’s best friend hailed “Don Johnson” over to the table to meet her.
Having grown up in and graduating from the Park School of Buffalo, Doug left the north in 1977 after receiving his acceptance letter from NC State (BS Forestry ’81) while clearing the way through 5 feet of snow to his mailbox. As an “above average” athlete and “legend in his own mind”, Doug played soccer, baseball (flunked as a baseball team walk-on at State), ice hockey (goalie for the Inaugural “Wolfpuck” ice hockey club team where he presided over the team his final 2 years), and in his later years, the love of all things tennis (but not Pickleball!). At NC State, Doug was a member of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, Student Senate, and Xi Sigma Pi honor Forestry fraternity. He then decided to continue his education at Wake Forest University, earning an MBA in Marketing (‘83).
Never ceding to this disease, Doug concluded his career consulting in business development and marketing in the adhesive and films industry, having worked for entrotech, Adhesives Research, Akzo Nobel, Eastman Chemical (then Courtaulds, CPFilms, Solutia), Transcontinental (Rexam), AAR, and Homelite/Textron.
As a teenager, Doug’s biggest influence in life was attending Camp Pathfinder in Algonquin Park, Ontario. A rugged wood and canvas canoe tripping camp with no hot water or electricity (or electronic games back then), he spent 10 years continually pushing himself to the highest level of physical and mental exhaustion, while encompassing the important values of teamwork and gaining his love of the outdoors. This experience was repeated on an Outward-Bound journey during the summer of ’82, a NC mountain survival trip where students learn to stretch the limits of one’s capability, later leading him to complete his first and only marathon. It was at these places he learned to meet head-on the challenges encountered through life, including several work lay-offs and surviving his first colorectal cancer battle in 2008 with subsequent chronic GI issues.
Community service was a very important aspect of Doug’s life. Although he decided not to become a doctor, Doug loved serving as a Friday and weekend volunteer at hospitals in Charlotte and at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, including its Comprehensive Cancer Center, until reversing as a patient. A commitment to independent educational growth was also important, having served on the Boards of the Carlisle School and Chatham Hall.
With greatest affection and pride, Doug is survived by his wife, Liz Geer Goldstein; two daughters, Dr. Libby Goldstein - DVM (Charlottesville, VA) and Emily Goldstein (Sarasota, FL); parents, Jerome (d) and Sydney Goldstein (Sarasota, FL); sister, Amy Gerome-Acuff (Atlanta, GA); mother-in-law Caroline Geer; brothers-in-law, John and Bill Geer (Charlotte) and Dan Acuff (Atlanta), nieces, Nicole, Jordan, Katie and Sara, and nephew Reid.
The family thanks Dr. Ravi Paluri and the Oncologic Team, Dr. Patrick Green, and other doctors and nurses at Wake Forest, and Mountain Valley Hospice.
Services will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Algonquin Campership Fund (www/algonquincampershipfund.org), and/or the SPCA of Martinsville/Henry County (www.spcamhc.org). A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Norris Funeral Services, Inc. and Crematory, Martinsville Chapel is serving the Goldstein family. Online condolences may be made at www.norrisfuneral.com
