Doyal was born on May 11, 1926, in Parrish, AL to Riley and Sarah Ann Abbott, one of nine children. At the age of 17, he was drafted into the Army to serve in World War II. When the Korean War broke out, Doyal preempted another Army draft by deciding to enlist in the Air Force, where he served as a fuel system mechanic on airplanes. In 1957, while stationed in El Paso, TX, Doyal went on a blind date with Dolores Rhoades, who would become his wife later that year. As he lovingly would remind folks who asked, “I paid someone $5 to take my shift, and I’ve been paying ever since.” Their daughter, Denise, was born in 1958.
Doyal was a man who never stopped working. After 20 year of service, he left the Air Force, and worked as a mechanic on Highway Patrol cars. From there, he took a job at Owen Steel where he worked as a welding inspector for another 20 years. After moving to Cary in 1993 to be closer to his Daughter’s family, Doyal got tired of being retired and went back to work at Lowe’s Home Improvement for another 10 years. Despite his work, he always found time for his 3 loves: fishing, gardening, and family.
Doyal is preceded in death by his parents Riley and Sarah Ann Aaron and his siblings Alvin (Winnie), Hazel (Jeff), Evelyn, Loyal (Gertrude), Arnold “Cooter” (Noreene), Charles, and Bobby. He is survived by his wife Dolores, his daughter Denise (Virgil) Sealy, his granddaughter Alana (Brenton) Pabst, and his sister Betty (Bob) Crowl as well as nieces, nephews, and many friends.
The funeral will take place at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 2:00 PM followed by a reception and inurnment of his remains in the columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Doyal Abbott Memorial Fund through 203 Foundation. You can make donations online at 203f.org/Doyal or by mail to 203 Foundation, c/o Doyal Abbott Fund, P.O. Box 8, Knightdale, NC 27545-0008. Donations will fund veteran organizations and the Christ the King Memorial Fund.
