Greenbelt, MD, Maryland - Douglas Morse Varney, beloved husband of Carol Crosby, passed away peacefully at his home in Greenbelt, MD, on June 11, 2025, with Carol by his side. The eldest child of Lloyd and Judith (Mosher) Varney, Doug was born on December 1, 1952, in Waterville, Maine.

When he was young, Doug's father instilled in him a love of research and nature by taking him on archaeological digs in Maine. Fascinated by the stars, Doug saved up his money to purchase his first telescope. He pursued this passion studying astronomy at New Mexico State University. Doug left school to join the U.S. Coast Guard during the Vietnam War, serving primarily in the Turks and Caicos and on Nantucket Island.

After his service, Doug returned to Maine earning a degree in electrical engineering technology. During this time he designed a WeFax (weather facsimile) downconverter that won a national design competition, beating about 700 other entrants. After graduating, Doug worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for six years before returning to Maine to pursue graduate studies in computer science. It was during this time that he met his future wife. They married and shared 33 years of life together—filled with curiosity, collaboration, and travel.

After a brief stint as a software engineer at General Electric, Doug decided to pursue his deeper interests in science and research, first as a software engineer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, and later as an engineer at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Later while working as a consultant, Doug designed and built a 12-channel GPS receiver for a South Korean company.

In his later years, Doug earned an M.S. in astronomy through James Cook University in Australia. While pursuing a PhD there, he designed and built a CCD camera to monitor the skies. More recently he became interested in pattern recognition of clouds and created a complex data management system that could be used on hand-held devices in the field.

Always eager to learn and explore, Doug earned the rank of Eagle Scout, served as a lifeguard, raced in 100 mile bicycle races, enjoyed technical rock climbing and obtained an amateur radio license. He also enjoyed cross-country skiing, painting, and gourmet cooking. An avid runner, Doug participated in a number of 5 and 10K races. He loved to sail his 28-foot sailboat, often dreaming of sailing around the world. He had a great appreciation for nature and animals, and shared a reciprocal adoration with all the cats in his life. Carol and Doug enjoyed traveling together, with memorable trips to Maine, Florida, the Maryland Eastern Shore, Banff, Hawaii and Bermuda. Doug loved hardware design and always had some project brewing. Above all, Doug cared very deeply about earth and space research and applied himself industriously in observing and learning as much as he could about what is transpiring in our world and beyond.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; his siblings, David (Olga) Varney, Susan Sandler, and Dan (Andrea) Varney; numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Lloyd and Judith Varney; and by Susan's husband, Lee Sandler.

Those who wish to remember Doug in a special way may make gifts in his memory to: AGU.org, Advancing Earth and Space Science or ASPCA.org, American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.