Obituaries

Douglas C. Hancock, 88, of Wayne, Illinois died at his home on April 8, 2026, after a brief illness.

Doug was born in Chicago on July 10, 1937, to Constanza (Curcio) and Cecil Hancock. He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Carol (Plass) Hancock. In addition, he is survived by three daughters, Cindy of Littleton, Colorado, Cassandra of Newport, Rhode Island, Dana of Houston, Texas and one grandson, Ezra.

Doug graduated from Fremd High School and attended Denver University on a football scholarship where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He later graduated from DePaul University in 1961 and then graduated from John Marshall Law School in 1964. He practiced law for more than 60 years primarily in DuPage County where he was in practice with Lee Daniels, the former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Doug was a 50-year member of the Dunham Woods Riding Club in Wayne and served two terms as its President. He rode to the hounds with the Wayne-DuPage Hunt also serving as its President for ten years. He was a life-long member of the Little Home Church in Wayne.

Doug and Carol renovated a farm in Jo Daviess County, and they spent many wonderful days and holidays there surrounded by their friends and family. Although they travelled the world for five decades, Doug found no greater love for the land than he did at Plum River Farm. He loved horses and the great outdoors and had a keen interest in conserving native lands for future generations. He was an active member of The Conservation Foundation through which he attended seminars all over the country and became a noted expert in prescribed burning and the control and eradication of invasive species. He and Carol were instrumental in the creation and establishment of the Wayne Area Conservancy Foundation as a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization.

Doug had a wonderful sense of humor and lived a carefree life because he had an incredibly positive view of the world. He developed and maintained lifelong friendships all over the country and he would often take week-long road trips to visit them. Doug was a kind and generous man whose natural wisdom and advice were prized by those who knew him. He was an old-fashioned gentleman, and an impeccable dresser who was often teased as resembling a Gentleman’s Quarterly model. As a young man, Doug developed an entrepreneurial spirit initially selling encyclopedias door to door and he took great pride in having once been a dance instructor at the Arthur Murray School of Dance. He was proud of his Italian heritage, loved Italian food and traditions often spending months at a time with Carol hosting his family and his friends on the island of Ischia off the coast of Naples. He supported numerous causes primarily related to the conservation of native lands and animals. He spent many years clearing trails for the Hunt, pruning and girdling invasive species of trees and supporting the Little Home Church and the Brookfield Zoo.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his two sisters, Madonna Sutter and Cherie Soskin. Funeral Services and burial will be private, and a celebration of a life well lived will be held at a later date. The Hancock family would like to thank the many caregivers, family and friends who supported Doug and Carol during the last two weeks of his life. Memorials in Doug’s memory can be made to the Wayne Area Conservancy Foundation at P.O. Box 234, Wayne, Il.

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