Pastor James Verne Dougans of Maysville, KY passed away on

early Wednesday morning, December 3, 2025, at the Hospice of

Hope Care Center.

Pastor Dougans came to Maysville in 2015, to serve as interim

pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Maysville. Three years later

he was called to be the seated pastor at the church.

Jim was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, on June 9,

1952, the son of Dorothy Dougans and the late Robert Verne

Dougans. The family moved to the U.S. in 1956, eventually

settling in Livonia, MI. Jim was an Eagle Scout.

Jim was a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit. He

received his Masters in Urban Planning at Pratt Instutute in

Brooklyn, NY, and earned a Masters in Theology at the Christian

Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.

Jim met Jennifer Lee Smith Jim in 1979, when he worked for the

Metropolitan Museum of Art and she was a budding artist. They

married in 1980. Jim later served in New York City's

Transportation Division.

Pastor Jim was a member of the Maysville Rotary Club and the

Men's Breakfast Club, and was also associated with the Green

Dot anti-violence program. He was a member of the Maysville

Ministerial Association and also the Pastor's Huddle.

Pastor Jim and Jennifer traveled extensively, enjoying many trips

to Mexico, Israel/Palestine and other destinations. Five years ago,

he had arranged and supervised a mission trip to provide clean

water sources to a village in Mexico. He hiked portions of the

Appalachian Trail. Last year, he hiked the Camino in a pilgrimage

in Portugal.

Pastor Jim was dedicated to the congregation that he served, to

the students that he coached and tutored, to the bible studies that

he led, and to his family.

Besides his mother, Pastor Jim is survived by his wife, Jennifer,

his daughters, Anne Avery Dougans of Indianapolis, IN and

Catherine Belaire Flora (John) of Nicholasville, KY; two

granddaughters, Kennedy Rose Flora and Brexley Anne Flora;

and three siblings, Glenn Dougans, Jean Desai (Sameer) and

Patricia Millar (Tom) all of Livonia, MI.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025,

at the First Presbyterian Church of Maysville, with Rev. Ruth

Moore officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 9 a.m.

until the time of service. Interment will follow the service in the

Maysville Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian

Church, 21 W 3rd St., Maysville, KY 41056.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Knox and Brothers Funeral

Home.

Condolences at knoxbrothersfuneralhome.com