Doyle Eugene Treece

Doyle was born in Anna, Illinois on March 18, 1925, to Ralph and Sula (Sinks) Treece. This was the same day the Tri-State Tornado tore through the area.

Two weeks after his high school graduation, he was inducted into the US Army in 1943. At his older brother’s suggestion he applied for and was accepted into the Army Air Corps (precursor to the US Air Force). He was assigned to the 451 Bombardment Group (H) stationed in Foggia, Italy. He served as a tail gunner and radio specialist on a series of B-24 bombers. Their primary mission was to destroy the Romanian oil fields and refineries that supplied the Nazis. The African-American Red Tails fighter pilots were the bomber group’s decorated escort. His B-24 bombers were shot down four times. He witnessed the loss of one of his crew mates due to a parachute failure, and marched hundreds of miles in frigid temperatures. He served time in a German prisoner of war camp before escaping with the assistance of the Yugoslavian resistance. He was also held by Russian troops before being guided back over the mountains. And, on one occasion, bailed out above the sea. Between incidents he was assigned to a group that dropped supplies into France. For his efforts he was awarded the French Legion of Honor Award by the French government - the highest honor awarded to a non-French citizen.

After returning home, he met and married Bonnie Louise Perrott and embarked on a career as a heavy equipment operator at Granite City Steel. He was a life-long St. Louis Cardinals fan and did not miss a single game on television. After his retirement, he enjoyed making clocks for family and friends, and played golf with a senior league in Belleville, IL until he was 95 years old and COVID hit.

Doyle was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Sula (Sinks) Treece, five brothers and sisters, and his wife, Bonnie (Perrott).

Doyle is survived by his son and daughter, James (Jana) Kesler of Wilmington, NC and Diana (Steve) Zahner of Perryville, MO. He is survived by his grandchildren, Jason (Erica) Kesler of Carolina Beach, NC; Jessica (Alex) Carlson of Hillsborough, NC; Lindsay Zahner (Andrew Bergstrom) of Seattle, WA; Lauren (David) Beckerman of Asheville, NC; Emma Zahner (Colton Carney) of Kansas City, MO; and, Jerome Zahner (Kyleigh Montgomery) of Imperial, MO. He is survived by his great-grandchildren, Ellie and Aubrey Kesler; Clara and Nicholas Carlson; Leo and Beau Beckerman.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be submitted to the gofundme page for Kyleigh Montgomery’s recovery after a major car accident. The link is attached below:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kyleighs-recovery-after-major-accident?modal=donations&tab=all