Douglas R. Cleminshaw

Douglas Riché Cleminshaw died in his home in Venice, Florida, on September 25, 2026, at the age of 95.

Originally from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Doug graduated from Case Western University and taught Industrial Design at Syracuse University. He then formed an independent design consulting firm, Cleminshaw Design, in partnership with his wife, Linda, in Tully, NY. A specialist in designing objects with plastics, he worked in plastics for over 25 years, held several patents, and published the influential work “Design In Plastics” (1988). He taught Industrial Design at the College of Fine and Applied Art at Rochester Institute for Technology.

Doug was a passionate sailor and cross-country skier and relished any opportunity to be out in a boat or out in the woods, especially under moonlight. He was proud of having a pilot’s license and, despite the lack of having access to an airplane, was still physically qualified to fly well into his advanced years. He is also fondly remembered at the Sarasota County Croquet Club in Venice, where he was known for having the skill and strategy of a serious croquet player.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Linda, who died of COVID in 2021. He is survived by his children, John Douglas Cleminshaw; Margaret (Cleminshaw) Chace; and Duncan Cleminshaw, as well as his grandchildren, Cole and Samantha Cleminshaw. A celebration of life ceremony is being planned for 2027.