Douglas Soutar

Douglas H. Soutar, 89, of Litchfield Park, Arizona, a nationally recognized expert and leader in the field of labor-management relations, died Thursday March 13th at the La Loma Care Center in Litchfield Park. Born in September, 1918 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he was the son of Dr. Richard G. Soutar, Jr. and Myra D. Soutar and grew up in Sacramento, California. He was a graduate of Sacramento High School, The University of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review. In 1942, following the breakout of World War II, he went to Washington with Dean Lloyd Garrison, Nathan Feinsinger and other faculty members and became a member of the staff of the War Labor Board. Later in the war he became a naval officer and served on the destroyer USS John Rodgers DD-574 during the Pacific Campaign. Following the war he was labor relations counsel with the American Trucking Association and counsel with Sunshine Biscuits, Inc. In 1951 he joined the American Smelting and Refining Company, presently known as ASARCO, LLC, where he had a highly-successful and distinguished 33 year career, serving as Assistant General Counsel, Director of Labor Relations, Vice President of Industrial Relations and Personnel, and Senior Vice President of Industrial Relations and Personnel. Described by The New York Times as "The Dean of Industrial Bargainers", he was a founder, member, director, president or chairman of numerous labor-management organizations, including co-founder of The Business Roundtable and chairman of its labor-management committee, Chairman of the New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association's National Affairs Section, President of the Industrial Relations Research Association, Chairman of the Labor Policy Association, President and Director of Unemployment Benefit Advisors, member of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Safety Council, member of the National Association of Manufacturers Labor Relations Committee Steering Group, Chairman of the NAM subcommittee on Multinational Personnel and Industrial Relations, and Chairman of the American Mining Congress Industrial Relations Committee. In Washington he played a major role in the staffing of several presidential administrations, from cabinet officers on down, and testified before congressional committees on many occasions. He also helped organize the wage and price control task force under President Nixon, was an alternate member of the Pay Board, and staffed most of it. He was twice a U.S. delegate to the International Labor Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Public Service was also an important part of his life. He was an Eagle Scout, a longtime member of the YMCA, a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Episcopal Board of Overseas Parishes, and a member of Rotary International. In Arizona he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sun Health Foundation and served on several of its committees. He was a member of many business and social clubs, including the Bankers Club of America President, the Wall Street Club, the Downtown Athletic Club, the University Club of New York, the Metropolitan Club of Washington, the Belle Haven Club, the Wigwam Club, Beta Theta Pi, and the Circumnavigators Club Desert Chapter. In his youth he was an exceptional athlete. He lettered in basketball and track at Sacramento High School and lettered in track at the University of Wisconsin, where he had an athletic scholarship. He was chiefly known for his phenomenal throwing arm, having corroborated baseball throws of over 400 feet and javelin throws of over 200 feet. In 1936 Branch Rickey, then general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, tried to sign him to a baseball contract, but he turned him down. He was married to Patricia Lockett Soutar, also of Sacramento, for 63 years. She predeceased her husband in 2003. He is survived by four children, Douglas L. Soutar of Fairfield, Connecticut, Nancy J. Soutar of Sacramento, California, Richard G. Soutar and his wife Barbara of Woodstock, Georgia, and Clay S. Halsey and her husband Van of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, April 19th at the Church at Litchfield Park, 300 Old Litchfield Road, Litchfield Park, Arizona 623-935-3411. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Church at Litchfield Park or Hospice of the Valley, 9720 W. Peoria Ave., Suite 128, Peoria, AZ 85345. Menke Funeral & Cremation Center in Sun City, Arizona is handling the arrangements. 623-979-6451.