LEMONS (VETERAN 2 WARS), DOYLE RAY - Washington County, Arkansas | DOYLE RAY LEMONS (VETERAN 2 WARS) - Arkansas Gravestone Photos

Doyle Ray LEMONS (VETERAN 2 WARS)

Dutch Mills Cemetery
Washington County,
Arkansas

LIEUTENANT US Navy
Korea
Vietnam
October 1, 1930 - October 2, 2012

*Obituary
Luginbuel Funeral Home
Prairie Grove, Arkansas

Doyle Ray Lemons, son of George and Hazle Lemons, was born on October 1, 1930, in Hemphill County, which is near Canadian, Texas. He grew up in Canadian, where he graduated high school and attended OU and then went on to join the Navy in 1950.

Doyle met Ardith Littleton at his aunt’s restaurant, where Ardith worked as a waitress. After their marriage, he was then transferred from Moffett Field to Hawaii. While he was in Hawaii, his first daughter, Phyllis, was born in Oakland, CA at the naval hospital. Wife and daughter later joined him in Hawaii. Months later they moved to Corpus Christi, TX, where his second daughter, Glenda, was born. They then went to Memphis, TN for further schooling, where his third daughter, Sharon, was born. From TN they went to Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, WA, where he joined P2V Squadron. This squadron deployed to Japan, flying spy missions off the coast of Russia. He was then transferred to Seattle, WA, where he attended the University of Washington and earned his electrical engineering degree. This is where his fourth daughter, Kathleen, was born in the army hospital. From there he went to Newport, RI to attend Officer Candidate School. On his way there he dropped his family off at his parents’ house in Texas. From OCS he and his family headed to San Diego and stationed on the Coontz, a missile frigate which operated in the Pacific. After he left the Coontz he had shore duty at Naval Electronic Laboratory in San Diego where he learned to program computers. From there he was sent to Vietnam for a year for research in weapons development. After that year he was sent to the carrier Midway CIC (combat info center), and the ship operated off the coast of Vietnam. In 1972, he retired from the Navy and he and his family moved to Arkansas.

He dabbled in farming and attended the University of Arkansas and received another degree in animal science. He began working at computing services for the U of A. After retiring he did volunteer work at Teen Challenge. Doyle and Ardith were faithful members of Faith Tabernacle, where he was the church treasurer and board member for many years. Doyle loved working with animals, gardening, wood working and reading. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family. Doyle and Ardith were married 59 years.

Doyle’s parents and brothers, Randle, Glen and Thomas preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving wife, Ardith; four daughters, Phyllis and husband Larry Meyer, Glenda Lemons, Sharon Lemons, and Kathleen and husband, Kevin Kreeger. Seven surviving grandchildren are Kristopher and Kari Valenzuela, Adrienne Trammel, Nathaniel and Morgan Meyer, Erika Stokes and Alexandra Kreeger and two great grandchildren, Shyenne Valenzuela and Hunter Ray Stokes.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 5, 2012, at Faith Tabernacle with Bro. Charles Crozier officiating. Interment will follow at Dutch Mills Cemetery under the direction of Hart Funeral Home of Stilwell.

Contributed on 12/8/20 by wfields55
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Record #: 1355041

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Submitted: 12/8/20 • Approved: 12/14/20 • Last Updated: 12/17/20 • R1355041-G0-S3

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