George T. Doyle
Retired Ironworker, Carpet Cleaner
DRACUT: George Thomas Patrick Doyle, 73, of Dracut, MA, longtime resident of Tewksbury, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday, February, 20, 2012. A man of eminent presence and unconditional heart, to meet him, his age of 73 was hard to believe.
Beloved husband of Roberta G. (Robbins), they recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary in November. Father of Augustine Scott Doyle of Dracut and Jennifer L. Krider and her husband Micah of Valparaiso, FL. Adored grandfather of Hayden, Carsen, Toby and Duncan Krider.
Even though his life began and came to an end a mere 8 miles apart, George’s life was filled with worldly adventures.
Born in Malden, February 3, 1939, the youngest child to the late Augustine P. and Margaret (Keating) Doyle, he grew up in “the village” of Everett, graduating in carpentry from Everett Vocational High School in 1956.
A U.S. Air Force Veteran, he proudly served as an aircraft mechanic in the 369th Bomb Squadron, Strategic Air Command, serving in North Africa and at MacDill AFB, FL. A medical discharge prevented him from reaching his goal of retiring from the USAF.
George followed in his father’s footsteps and became an Ironworker with Local #7 for 30 years. He worked on skyscrapers to bridges, from Boston to San Francisco to Baton Rouge, Maine and New Hampshire. Looking for warmer weather in Baton Rouge he helped build the Mississippi River Bridge; his grandsons thrill every time they drive over “Grandpa’s Bridge”. While working in San Francisco, he lived in Haight-Asbury with his ski friends. Having met Roberta at a Boston nightclub and winning her over by taking her and 7 friends to breakfast he later convinced his future bride to meet them out there. George and Roberta had an adventure driving back across the country, seeing a bullfight in Mexico, the Hoover Dam, a rodeo in Laredo, NV, and “the strip” in Vegas along the way. In Boston he worked on numerous projects, including the “new Pru”, John Hancock and the Sixty State Street Bank. He worked on both the Plymouth and Seabrook Nuclear Power plant construction projects.
Upon retiring from Ironworking he decided to “take it easy” and he and Roberta started their family owned and operated J&S (Jenn & Scott) Carpet Cleaning Company, later to be called Scott Carpet Cleaning Company. George enjoyed meeting and chatting with all of his customers. George and Roberta continued to work until the day before his death.
Still an avid carpenter, George’s cherished furniture is beautiful and meant to last. He was often teased that he made Viking furniture.
An avid sports fan, George reveled in the success of the Red Sox and Patriots in recent years. He was especially relieved that the Red Sox won the Series during his lifetime.
George enjoyed the outdoors: hiking along the Kancamagus highway looking for waterfalls, hunting with his brother-in-laws and nephews, playing at the beach with his children and grandsons, roaming around the fields at his cherished cabin in Maine.
Always up for a road trip – whether to go “look at houses”, go for ice cream, go to a Civil War site, hit an antique car show in Hershey, PA, the Indy 500, a race in Montreal, a “short jaunt into NYC” for a cup of coffee, a giant sandwich and cheesecake at the Carnegie Deli, just an auction, or cross country in a camper with his family showing his children and later his grandsons our nation’s capital and Gettysburg.
George loved fishing, whether it was deep-sea fishing from Boston, Seabrook or Destin, FL, the stories of what he had caught were as plentiful as the fish. But nothing beat sitting on a dock in Florida with his grandsons – never expecting to catch a thing.
Recently, George became a voracious reader – dreaming of becoming a Spanish galleon salvager, or learning about the daily lives of Civil War soldiers, finding an amazing art treasure to add to his already “gallery worthy” collection – George truly believed in “go big or go home.”
He is missed greatly by brothers and sisters, Paul G. Doyle and his wife Mary of Medford, Ronald J. and his wife Mary, Jean Hussey and her husband Warren all of Stoneham, Michael A. and his wife Pauline, Adrian J. and his wife Ann all of Everett and Mary Burton and her husband Frank of Revere. Equally part of his wife’s family, he leaves sister-in-laws Patricia Hutchinson of Maine, Carol Maxwell and her husband Alan of New York, Peg Robbins of Massachusetts, brother-in-laws Leslie, Roger and his wife Bette, Peter Robbins and his wife Irene all of Maine, Eugene Robbins and his wife Sharyn of Massachusetts. George also leaves numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and his doting dog Molly and cat Kringle.
Predeceased by two brothers Augustine and John Doyle, Sister-in-law Janice and brother-in-laws Donald, Steve, and Calvin.
Former member of the Elks of Tewksbury-Wilmington and proud donor to the DAV.
Calling hours will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, from 12- 3 p.m. at Farmer and Dee Funeral Home at 16 Lee St. Tewksbury, MA, followed a memorial service to be held at the funeral home at 3 p.m. At the request of the family kindly OMIT Flowers. In the spirit of his dedication to education and veterans, donations in his memory may be made to Local #7 Scholarship fund, 195 old Colony Ave., PO Box 7, S. Boston, MA 02127 or Children of Fallen Soldier’s Relief Fund www.cfsrf.org PO Box 3968, Gaithersburg, MD, 20885-3968.