James Douglas Wingate

On Sunday, May 19, 2024, our dear brother passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in his sleep. 

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1963 to parents Jim and Carmen Wingate, Doug spent most of his childhood in the community of what is now Central City. Doug attended Central High School and after graduation, he studied Quantitative Business Analysis at LSU, graduating in 1985. He then went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Texas and worked on postgraduate studies in Political Philosophy at the University of Dallas.

Doug had an insatiable appetite for learning from the time he was young. He worked in computer programming for the State of Louisiana, code-breaking before “Y-2K”, and subsequently, worked for many years as a Systems Architect for a large hospital system in New Orleans.

 Doug’s mind worked in patterns and puzzles–fitting together the tiny bits and pieces to keep connections secure and deconstructing layers of information to break bonds that were detrimental. Yet, his whole life, from the time he was young, Doug’s first love was for languages and the patterns of political power. 

 Doug was one who truly loved his country more than self. Freedom and the polity “No-See-Um-Bugs” that could dismantle freedom were his main focuses and kept him occupied with relentless study.

 Doug analyzed the ancient philosophers teaching himself Greek to study Plato and Italian to study Machiavelli. He spent hours studying and translating. To many, Doug’s all consuming focus on writers so long dead and gone seemed unusual, but he knew that in order to preserve the future, we must understand those who came before.

 Doug worked on an interlinear translation of Niccolò Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy for the last five years. For the curious, Doug’s work can be found at: https://niccolomachiavelli.works/.

 Doug was kind and witty, fiercely passionate, and a patient teacher. His absence will leave a large hole in our hearts.

 Doug was preceded in death by his parents, James Andrew Wingate and Carmen Peevy Wingate, and infant siblings, Kenneth Wayne Wingate and Margaret Wingate.

 He is survived by his sisters, Anne ``Annie” Wingate and Kristen “Krissy'' Wingate Murphey (John), and niece, Claire Murphey, and nephew, Jackson Murphey as well as a step-mother, Sherry Frazier Wingate and step-siblings and their children. Doug is also survived by many Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.

 A Celebration of Life service will be held in Doug’s honor on Saturday, July 27, 2024. Visitation will start at 1 pm with services at 2 pm at The Chapel on the Campus, 3355 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802.

 In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the memory of James Douglas Wingate to Hillsdale College at: hillsdale.edu or the The Leo Strauss Center at the University of Chicago: leostrausscenter.uchicago.edu.