Obituary of Douglas Ray Shearer

Douglas Ray Shearer was born in Berkeley, California in 1941 and spent most of his life in Sacramento. He attended Theodore Judah Elementary, Arden Middle Schools, and El Camino High School. He was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in 1954. He attended the University of California at Davis beginning in 1959. In 1961, his twin brother, Steve, presented the Gospel to him and he accepted Christ. He transferred to the University of California at Berkeley in 1961. He then returned to UC Davis, where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in 1964, having studied political philosophy, sociology, history, and statistical analysis. He was married to Margo Luisa (Sita) Nichols in October of 1963. Their first child was born in 1966, and their second in 1968. He was accepted into the graduate program at UC Davis and completed his Master’s in Political Science in 1968. He accepted a position with the Legislative Analyst's office in the California Legislature and worked under Ronald Reagan, analyzing the budget programs for what was then called the Department of Mental Hygiene and the Department of Welfare. In this position, he appeared before the Senate budget and finance committees. While working for the legislature, they had a third child in 1971. In 1972, he and his family, along with Doug and Debbie Krieger, answered a call to establish a church in Berkeley during the Jesus Movement. Among other wonderful happenings, the family lived in a Christian commune on Warring Street and participated in street evangelism and love feast outreaches. After two and a half years, they returned to Sacramento, where their fourth child was born. There, they began a self-sufficient commune, street ministry, and painting company called Warring Brothers. In 1978 he became involved as a member of a street evangelism ministry called SOS ministries, and served on the board with Larry Rosenbaum. He also established an outreach ministry for young adults and began the Arthur Blessitt Memorial Gospel Bus Tours. At this time, he and friends began TAV evangelical ministries, an evangelical ministry with the purpose of supporting Israel and encouraging Jews to see their Jewish Messiah, Y’shua. Eventually motivating a movement on the part of the American evangelical Church to sign a declaration of repentance for the silence of the American church during the holocaust in Washington, DC. The declaration was signed by leaders throughout the evangelical community including those in the Southern Baptist Convention community, in the Assemblies of God, the Moral Majority, Dallas Theological Seminary, Multnomah SOB, Biola and more and was presented to leaders in the American Jewish community at the National Synagogue. This began his long-standing friendships with many national leaders of the evangelical community. In 1982, Doug and his wife established New Hope Christian Fellowship with Jerry and Ann Axtell. He was senior pastor for 28 years, and among other accomplishments there, he and his wife developed a marriage discipleship program called The Agonia, which was instrumental in preserving many marriages of both lay and leadership. At this time, Doug and his wife welcomed two neighborhood children as members of the family. Doug retired in 2008 and began Urban Hope Ministry. In 2013, he and his wife, along with their granddaughter, spent three months in Israel with the intent of establishing permanent venue for Christians to minister in Israel. In addition, he wrote several books concerning Israel and the end-times. He attended Capitol City Church of Sacramento under Pastor Rick Martinez until they moved to the Placerville area in 2020. His health began to decline, and he was eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. At the time of his death, he was still planning to go back to Israel. His mentors included Don Morsey, Witness Lee, Dr. Ray Stedman, Dr. Earl Radmacher, Dr. Gary Brashears, Pastor Glen Cole, Pastor Lee Thoms, Dr. Willard Aldrich, Dr. John Walvoord, and Dr. Arnold Fructenbaum. It was his great honor to mentor many. Throughout Doug's life, there have been several streams of influence. The first is a constant and profound search of Scriptures and dedication to God’s church. Second, a love for the hope and power of the Gospel, personally leading many to this saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And third, a love for Israel and the chosen people of God through whom God has demonstrated His faithfulness throughout human history. Doug died at home, surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sita Shearer, and by his four children, Kendra Shearer Brace and her husband Rod Brace, of Sacramento, Gregory Carl Shearer and his wife, Elizabeth Shearer, née Brashear, of Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, Alan Douglas Shearer and his wife, Aimee Shearer, née Stephenson, of Diamond Springs, and Margo DeEtte Frost and her husband Matthew Frost of Camino. He is also survived by his father’s second wife, Jane Holzman Shearer, and grandchildren, Charles Brace of Sacramento, Luisa Austin and her husband John of Aliso Viejo, Claire McGraw and her husband Ethan of Pensacola, Florida, Madeline Reyes and her husband Caleb of San Jose, Carl Shearer and his wife Adrianne of Menifee, Laurel Shearer of State College, Pennsylvania, Jessica Deatheridge and her husband Taylor of Folsom, Olivia Smith and her husband Kyle of Folsom, Mattea Lightfield and her husband Drake of Folsom, Leah Shearer of Diamond Springs, Sarah Coll and her husband Jonathan of Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, Hannah Swarbrick and her husband Corbin of Davis, Elle Shearer of Diamond Springs and her fiance, Jonny Madeira, formerly of Pennsylvania, Sophia Frost of Camino, and Daniel Brace of Sacramento. He is also survived by great-grandchildren Arthur, Hezekiah, and Jethro Austin of Aliso Viejo, Eliana Shearer of Menifee, and Baby Reyes of San Jose. He is also survived by his dear siblings Jane Harris and her husband Jay of Folsom, James Shearer and his wife Tanya of Las Vegas, and his sisters-in-law Juana Lambert of Pasadena, and Kim Feder and her husband Terry of Pacific Palisades, along with his nieces and nephews who were all very dear to him. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Winifred Shearer, and his twin brother Stevan Shearer and his wife Lucy of Sacramento. The Memorial will be Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at New Hope Christian Fellowship 6240 Verner Avenue Sacramento, CA 95841 at 4:00 p.m. with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall.