Mr. Albert John Douglass, a 1943 graduate of Cheltenham High School, passed away on Saturday, February 1. He was 99.

He was associated with the now-defunct Camp Lenape at Fairview Lake in Tafton for many years and was informally adopted as a young boy by the camp owners, the late David and Marjory Keiser of Elkins Park, his obituary said.

Mr. Douglass enlisted in the US Marine Corps at age 17 and served in World War II from 1943-1946, receiving a Purple Heart following his service in the South Pacific.

A Native American by descent, Douglass went on to graduate from the Haskell Institute, an Indian Industrial Training School in Lawrence, Kansas, before attending the State University of New York, New Paltz.

After college, he held the following positions: Head Children’s Supervisor, New York State Department of Social Welfare, Thomas Indian School, Iroquois, NY, seven years; Elementary Teacher, New York State Department of Social Welfare, Highland Training School, Highland, NY, two years; Elementary Teacher, New Paltz, NY, ten years; Elementary Teacher, Wallenpaupack Area School District; for 25 years until his retirement in 1995 at age 70.

Mr. Douglass also sold real estate in the Wallenpaupack area for several years and, being proud of his Western Band Cherokee Indian heritage, he presented many Native American cultural dance and lecture programs as “Thunder Pony,” dressed in Indian clothing which he made by hand.

His membership in several educational and civic organizations included, among others, regular Red Cross blood donations and organization of and participation in many Bike Hikes for Charity.

“Alfred was very athletic, enjoying all kinds of physical activity, particularly tennis, skiing and bicycling. At age 65 he spent 79 days riding his bicycle alone across the US from the west coast to the east coast,” his obituary said.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.