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Douglas Clifford Broten, age 75, passed away at Clovis Community Medical Center in Clovis, California on October 15, 2022 surrounded by those that loved him. Born September 26,1947 to Clifford and Lois Broten. Younger siblings include brother Jeff Broten and sister Carol Starr. Doug was born in Whitter, CA and moved to Fresno to attend Fresno State University in 1965. Active in student leadership, he was student body president 1969-70. He received his BA in Social Sciences with a Secondary Teaching Credential in 1971. Doug’s career spanned 40 years in local non-profit management beginning as the Executive Director with Older American Retraining Programs followed by being Executive Director for the California Association of Physically HandicappedIndependent Living Center. He will best be remembered through the 25 years of contributions and leadership as CEO of the Better Business Bureau of the San Joaquin Valley concluding with his 2010 induction into the BBB 25-Year Club. Doug was on the forefront of the technology movement. He chaired the Council of Better Business Bureaus IT Committee. He was instrumental in developing the Data Warehouse for which he received BBB’s BOC Meritorious Service Award in 2008. He founded the Dispute Settlement Center in 1995 and established a BBB foundation that has grown to provide mediation under contracts with counties covering central California. In 2017, Doug was nominated and voted into the BBB’s Hall of Fame. For over 40 years, he deepened his love for the Sierra Nevada and the surrounding foothills. He spent many hours backpacking and cross-country skiing throughout the local mountains. He especially cherished annual trips to the Ostrander Ski Hut 10 miles from Badger Pass Ski Area in Yosemite’s backcountry. For many years, he led Sierra Club hikes and cross-country ski trips. Following his 2010 retirement, he began kayaking the San Joaquin River year round and leading Sierra Foothill Conservancy hikes. Doug believed in providing a place for the voices of fairness and value to be heard by serving on a range of boards. These boards included the State Board for Planned Parenthood; Fresno State Alumni Association; Fresno Advertising Federation; and the Council of Better Business Bureaus. Doug leaves his wife of 35 years, Eve Sproule; his stepson Brandon Sproule; daughter Branisia Sproule and grandchildren Marshall and Mariah Hudson. He is also survived by his brother Jeff and sister Carol. A memorial gathering will be held on Monday, October 24, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Chapel of the Light, 1620 West Belmont Avenue in Fresno. A celebration of Doug’s life will be Saturday, November 5, 2022 with a hike beginning at 10:00 a.m. followed by lunch at 12:30 p.m. at the McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve, 2247 Auberry Road in Clovis. Remembrances in Doug’s name may be made to Sierra Foothill Conservancy, P.O. Box 529, Prather, CA 93651.

Tributes

Douglas C. Broten

September 26, 1947 - October 15, 2022