First Posted: 12/22/2014

HAMLET — Two well-known Richmond County residents died over the weekend in unrelated circumstances — the first a young athlete who died suddenly of a heart attack in a Charlotte hospital Friday, and the next an elderly equipment manager for the Richmond Raiders who passed away quietly after a lengthy illness.

DOUG THOMAS

Only 45, and a life-long athlete, Doug Thomas’s sudden death came as a shock to his friends from back home.

To many, Thomas was a hometown hero who defied the odds by making it to Clemson on a football scholarship, and ultimately playing three seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. But to those who knew him best, he was more.

Robert David met Thomas when the two started kindergarten together.

“What I remember most is Doug was always a funny guy,” David said. “If you were around him, you were having fun.”

The youngsters had a lot of things in common. They lived around the corner from one another in the neighborhood where they grew up. They both grew to love sports and played together during middle school and high school. Their birthdays were only four days apart.

“We don’t get to see each other as much as we used to, but we remained friends,” David said. “We kept in touch. It hit me hard. I just never would have thought something like this would happen. When they told me about it, it was ‘No, not Doug.’ That was all I could think, all I could say.”

David said Thomas’s whole family is athletic, and that he excelled at whatever he did.

“He had more focus at an early age than the rest of us did,” David said.

Thomas, who David described as friendly and outgoing as well as talented, had what for a lesser man might have become a major setback in 12th grade, but he overcame it.

“A lot of people don’t realize this, but Doug got hurt pretty bad early in the season in his senior year at Richmond,” David said. “While he was recovering, he focused on track because he was fast, he was always fast. Through track, he caught the eye of Clemson through Coach Hope from Richmond. He ran in the junior nationals. He went down to Clemson as track. But his talent in football got their attention and he switched from track to football.”

Learning about his friend’s death hit David hard, bringing back memories of their first meeting.

“Friday night one of my friends called me,” David said. “And I just thought, ‘Not Doug. Not Doug.’ When you have a friend, you may not talk to him for a year, but he’s your friend for life. Our first encounter was on the playground at kindergarten and he was just being Doug and getting everyone all involved. He came up to me and said, ‘Are you gonna play?’

David, who said he was a “shy kid,” told Thomas “no,” and tried to remain alone.

“So he said, ‘Well, then I’m gonna play,” David said. “And he stayed with me and we talked. We had this game where you look at someone, but if they catch you, you look away. It’s funny the things you remember. He just stayed there and kept talking to me.”

What matters most about Thomas, David said, is the person he was — not highlights from football games at Clemson or Seattle — and the people who knew Thomas and loved him aren’t thinking of numbers today.

“It’s devastating to me,” David said. “I can’t explain it. Doug was just a great guy, he was all about having fun, laughing, joking. He was more than just a former NFL football player. Doug was a good guy. Doug was Doug, even before he got into any of that stuff.”

DOUG GARNER

A longtime Raider treasure, William Doug England (best known as Doug Garner), died Sunday after an extended illness, according to Dale Denson, his friend of more than 50 years. England was the equipment manager for the Richmond Raiders. He was also a tremendous fan.

Paul Hoggard, head football coach for Richmond Senior High School, said he will be greatly missed.

“He worked for the football program for a long time, and was just our unofficial mascot for a while, from 1999 to about 2010,” Hoggard said. “He was our equipment manager and was always on the sideline. He was on the sideline until he wasn’t able to be on the sideline anymore. This year I know he made the first home game, and I’m not sure if he made it to any of the rest.”

Hoggard said Garner will be remembered for his passion for the games, that he enjoyed the games and “got pretty excited about them” and that he was a true Raider fan.

Denson explained that Garner’s two last names have a story behind them.

“He had four brothers and two sisters a large family coming up over on the mill hill,” Denson said. “That’s where we all grew up. I think an aunt and uncle or his grandma and grandpa took him in.”

Garner had been equipment manager for four state championship teams: 1968, 1997, 1998 and 2008. He was involved in church softball for more than 30 years as player, coach and field manager.

“He’s the only guy to get his jersey retired. His jersey number was 44 and that was the Richmond County Church Softball League, where Garner was known as ‘Hoss.’ He was also equipment manager for one of the Shrine Bowl teams with Coach (Ed) Emory.”

Denson said when Emory was chosen as one of the Shrine Bowl coaches, Emory told them, “If Doug’s not coming, then I won’t go.” Garner went with Emory and acted as head equipment manager for the Shrine Bowl game.

“He’s going to be buried in his green Shrine Bowl jacket, maybe with his ring, too,” Denson said.

Sometimes, Garner could be a bit boisterous during the games, according to Denson.

“Oh, he loved that Raider football, now,” Denson said. “He’s the only guy I’ve ever seen that could holler anything he wanted to the officials and they wouldn’t say anything to him. Someone else could make a little peep and they’d get jumped all over, but Doug could say whatever he wanted.”

Denson said Garner didn’t have much of an education, but he was “a survivalist.”

“He’s the person I know who took the least and made the most out of it,” Denson said. “He was a super friend of mine. We’ve been friends over 50 years. Friday I was with him. He didn’t look too good, didn’t feel too good, but I asked him how he was feeling and he said ‘I’m OK.’ That was always his answer. ‘I’m OK.’

Reach reporter Melonie Flomer at 910-817-2673 and follow her on Twitter @melonieflomer.