Murray Alanson Douglas, who advised hundreds of students who now teach art throughout Michigan during his 30 years as a Wayne State University professor of art education, died April 17 in San Rafael, Calif., where he spent the last years of his retirement. He was 81.

He and his wife May lived in Detroit, Bloomfield Hills and Royal Oak before moving to California a few years ago. They married in 1940 after meeting at a summer camp where both were teaching and working as assistants to Mary Chase Stratton at Pewabic Pottery.

Professor Douglas began his professional career as an art teacher at Brookside School at Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, where he taught from 1936-1950 except for two years of service in the European theater with the Army during World War II.

After the war he taught part-time in WSU's art education department and was offered a full-time professorship in 1950. He later was named department chairman. Through the years he advised hundreds of graduate students while teaching ceramics and graduate seminars. He retired in 1980.

Retired WSU Professor Fred Attebury, who taught art education from 1968 to1994, quoted Douglas as often saying that Wayne State had earned its reputation as a fine teaching institution with great interest in its students. "Douglas continued this fine tradition," Attebury said.

Professor Douglas received a bachelor's degree from Wayne in 1936, a master's degree from Ohio State University in 1940 and a doctorate from Ohio State in 1956.

He was listed in Who's Who in America, exhibited his ceramics work nationally and received awards from the National Ceramics Show and the Michigan Craftsmen Show. He also received one of Wayne State's first Arts Achievement Awards in 1975.

He was active in the national and Michigan Art Education Associations,­ Michigan Potters' Association and the American Association of University Professors.

In addition to his wife Professor Douglas is survived by a daughter, Sara Garbarini, and grandchildren who live in California. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Murray A. Douglas Endowed Scholarship at Wayne State University, the American Cancer Society or a hospice.

Note: Douglas lived in Detroit, Bloomfield Hills and Royal Oak before moving to California. For more information call Fred Attebury at (810) 329-2939.