John Douglas Cashmere, 61, of Bethesda, Maryland died unexpectedly on March 20, 2021.
Doug was born in Redwood City, California on January 6, 1960 to Jean Ann and John Jarrell Cashmere.
Doug grew up in a Navy family, moving often and attending more than ten schools across the country before the Navy brought the family to Washington DC and Doug to The Bullis School where he graduated as part of the Class of 1979. His Bullis classmates will remember Doug well for his friendship, enthusiasm on the ball fields, and the birth of his entrepreneurial spirt – Doug started his first company, The Pool Doctor, at the age of 17.
Following High School, Doug went south to Parris Island, South Carolina and joined the Marine Corps. After his Marine Corps service, Doug studied Business at West Chester University and soon moved on to start and run several businesses in the Swimming Pool, Hot Tub and Hardware Industries. Most recently, he was serving as the Vice President of Development and Acquisition for Costello’s Ace Hardware, where he worked to expand the Costello business across the Mid-Atlantic region.
While Doug enjoyed his career, his true passion, in addition to his family, was baseball. More accurately, the coaching and mentoring of young ball players. Doug’s coaching began in his front yard, where he taught his sons Andrew and Patrick how to snatch up grounders and run down fly balls. His love of the game lead him to a BCC Baseball where he coached dozens of local ball players at all levels of BCC Baseball. Doug also served on the Board of BCC Baseball helping this community organization grow and prosper – including the development of an Indoor Training Facility. He was also the voice of Walt Whitman High School Baseball for many years. Coach Doug’s love of baseball and the life lessons it holds will live on in the many, many local players and families that were fortunate enough to be part of Doug’s baseball family.
On August 14, 1993, Doug married Mary Catherine (nee MacKnight), and the next day moved to Bethesda; Doug bought a home in Merrimack Park where they raised two sons, Andrew and Patrick, and over the next 27 years Doug (with Cathi’s loving help) wove himself into a wonderful community of neighbors and true friends, hosting countless birthday parties for his family and others, as well as an annual July 4 celebration. In fact, while business and baseball were a big part of his life, Doug’s greatest love was for his friends and family. An avid family man, he could frequently be found on his back deck in his expansive outdoor kitchen of three grills - pouring his love into the many wonderful meals he created for family and friends.
Doug will be deeply missed by his family and friends, but his wonderful life will be remembered daily and live on in all those he loved so much and the many lives he touched.
Doug is survived by his wife Cathi, his two sons Andrew and Patrick, brothers Brian and David and sisters-in-law, Denise Bacon and Julia Cashmere and his many loving nephews and nieces, among them, Matthew Bacon, Jack Cashmere, Maureen Bacon, and Peter Cashmere, all of whom he loved so much and who loved him deeply.
As an expression of sympathy any memorial donations may be made to Bethesda-Chevy Chase Baseball - www.bccbaseball.com or by spending an hour playing catch with someone you love.