Raymond K. Doty

It is with deepest sadness that the family of Raymond Kimble Doty, of Loudon, TN, announces his death at the age of 94 on May 22, 2023. Ray was a long time resident of Tellico Village having moved there from Plymouth, Michigan after retirement from the Ford Motor Company where he worked as a mechanical engineer for 35 years. Ray was born in Big Sandy, TN to James Wesley and Lucille Crawford Doty in 1929, living for the first 8 years of his life in a small frame house adjacent to the L & N railroad tracks and a Pentecostal church whose lively revivals reverberated through the walls of their home. Growing up during the Depression years left an indelible mark on Ray and forever shaped his views on the importance of hard work, making do with less, perseverance in the face of adversity, good financial practices, and being a good neighbor.

Later, after his older brother, Willard, returned from WWII in late 1945, Ray and Willard enrolled at the University of Tennessee (first at Martin then, two years later, at Knoxville) where they simultaneously obtained degrees in mechanical engineering and graduated in 1950.

Ray had a wide range of interests over the years which included jewelry making, wine making, writing poems, limericks, and odes, scuba diving, biking, golfing, fishing, birdwatching, and visiting the national parks. He enjoyed designing and building unique bird houses that encouraged birds to take up residence in the yard, and he delighted in sharing amusing aspects of their behavior with his children and grandchildren.

Ray was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend whose greatest pleasure was getting together with family on every occasion possible; long trips were never an obstacle, and being present for each grandchild’s graduation was a top priority. A diligent, thoughtful communicator, Ray stayed in touch with regular phone calls, email and texting in his later years, and beautiful handwritten letters that frequently included newspaper clippings he thought would be interesting, entertaining, or helpful to the lives of his recipients. Ray thought always in terms of helping the ‘other person’ first; his kindness and generosity brought people together and set a magnificent example for how to live a truly meaningful life.

Preceded in death by his parents, Wes and Lucille Doty of Bruceton, TN, his son, Curtis Wesley Doty, and his brother, James Willard Doty of Dayton, TN, whom he counted as “the best brother and friend anyone could ever have”, Ray is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Betty Wilson Doty of Loudon, TN (formerly of Bruceton, TN), sons Raymond Kimble Doty, Jr. of Loudon, TN, and David E. Doty (Janet) of Cincinnati, OH, and daughter, Holly D. Whitledge (William) of Sudbury, MA. Ray was also blessed with eight grandchildren which include Charles Doty (Katie), Peter Doty, Nicholas Doty; Taylor Doty, Morgan Skiba (Eric), Samantha Fornaris (Anthony); William Whitledge, James Whitledge (Emily), five great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service to honor Ray will take place on Monday, November 20, 2023, at 11am at the Tellico Village Chapel of Click Funeral Home and Cremations, 145 Chota Centre, Loudon, TN 37774.

The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a charity of the giver’s choice.

The family also wishes to express its sincerest thanks for the many acts of love, kindness, and support shown by friends in the Premier Residences and Tellico Village community, and to the good doctors, nurses, and aides who cared for Ray during his illness.