Albert William Doak

Albert William 'Al' Doak, 88, died peacefully Wednesday, (December 23, 2009) at his East Hartford home. A Navy aviation radioman second class during World War II, Al was born in Cambridge Mass. on August 19, 1921, to Albert Thompson Doak and Grace Evelyn (Dowd) Doak. He was a graduate of Medford High School, enlisting in the Navy at Boston. He was a salesman when he met and married Alma Carini, then a nurse at Hartford Hospital. The couple settled in Hartford, then East Hartford. Al retired from the Hartford Courant as a foreman in 1986, enrolling at Trinity College where he graduated with a degree in sociology in 1996 at age 75 as Trinity's oldest graduate. A life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Al served as commander of Unknown Soldier Chapter 12, and eventually served as DAV state commander. He advocated on behalf of all wounded and disabled veterans, and drew inspiration from visits to Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval hospitals where he met with wounded soldiers. Doak, a DAV National aide de camp, twice was named state DAV veteran of the year. Until recently, Al volunteered at Rocky Hill Veterans Hospital, was a member of the East Hartford Patriotic Commission, a former member of the East Hartford Exchange Club, and a devout parishioner of St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in East Hartford. A baseball fan, he was a member of the board of directors of the World Series Club of Hartford County, a member of the Boston Braves Fan Club and the Willow Inn Hot Stove League. Devoted to his family, he made sure all his gifts were wrapped for this Christmas, his favorite holiday. In addition to his wife, Alma, who shared an adventure of 55 years, Al is survived by a brother, Gerard P. Doak and his wife, Margaret, (Mickey) of Walpole, MA; six children and their spouses, William and Yolanda Doak; and Grace and John Reilly, all of East Hartford; Patricia and Joseph Little of Kingston, Rhode Island; Carol Jones of Deep River and her husband, Joseph Griffith, of Deep River; Thomas and Patricia Doak of Chester; and Rosemary and Kris Wuestefeld of Woodbridge; he is also survived by 20 grandchildren, Robert and Megan Reilly; Stephanie Doak; Joseph, Katie, James and Brendan Little; Liza, Samuel, Peter and Hal Jones; Alex, Caroline, Haley and Brett Griffith; Timothy, Alex and Lauren Doak; Kira and Kayla Wuestefeld; along with cousins, nephews and nieces ? and his many devoted friends and comrades-in-arms in the DAV organization. We all salute you! Besides his parents, Al was predeceased by a son-in-law, David Jones; a sister, Mary O'Brien; and brothers, Walter E. Doak and Richard J. Doak. Funeral services will be Monday, Dec. 28, at 9 a.m., from the D'Esopo-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter St., East Hartford with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Isaac Jogues Church, One Community Street, (in Mayberry Village), East Hartford. Burial with full military honors will follow at Veteran's Memorial Field-Silver Lane Cemetery, East Hartford. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home chapel on Sunday, Dec. 27, from 2-6 p.m. Memorial donations in Al's memory may be made to the DAV ? Unknown Soldier Chapter 12, P.O. Box 280281, East Hartford, CT 06128 or St. Isaac Jogues Church, c/o Catholic Churches North, 15 Maplewood Ave., East Hartford, CT 06108. For any on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.