Peter Martin Doak

Pete passed away after a short illness which took him and his family by surprise. Although he died at a young 63 years, he lived a full life. He was born a twin just a few minutes after his brother, Paul. Pete was the seventh of his parents’ thirteen children. If you are Catholic and grew up on the south side of Fort Wayne, it would be difficult for you not to know his family.

Pete went to St. Joseph Catholic School on Brooklyn Avenue and graduated from Elmhurst High School in 1977. At the age of seventeen, he enlisted in the Army where he continued to valiantly serve his country for nearly forty years. Pete earned dozens of decorations including the Bronze Star and the Ordnance of Samuel Sharpe Award and retired as a Sergeant Major in 2019.

In 1982, he went in for a job interview to replace a woman who was just promoted in her role at Dunbar Furniture. Neither of them realized at the time that would set off a chain of events which would eventually lead to marriage. Glenna was a single mother with boys of her own, but the challenge of helping her raise the boys didn’t shake Pete. Instead, they were married and Pete stepped in to help raise the boys, never making them feel like they were less than his own. Glenna would work out of state for extended periods and he would be the steady and calm support for the boys at home. Never missing a school or sporting event, they became a family.

Within four years they had their daughter, Hollie, who would change the dynamic of the household with her little girl energy. When she was little he would come home from work and have her take his boots off which made her feel so special. He would never raise his voice to her and found ways to have her by his side by helping her plant her first garden right next to his. After his resistance to owning a dog, he couldn’t resist her pleas to keep a dog she brought home one day. Soon they would have three dogs in the house. Pete was a patient disciplinarian and accepted each of the children as they are. He was a constant prankster playing practical jokes on others and dressing up in hilarious outfits just to get a laugh out of his friends and family.

Pete served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn where his fellow soldiers called him a mentor who had a caring and respectful nature. Pete loved to travel taking many trips as a family including a trip to Myrtle Beach and a cruise to Bermuda with his most memorable trips taken to Alaska and Hawaii.

Pete was one of those rare and humble men that are irreplaceable. He was most content in peaceful activities like fishing or working on his own on a woodworking project and loved to garden. At home with his family, he had a robust garden with a complex watering system producing vegetables to eat and plants and flowers that filled their home. He loved live music and went to dozens of classic rock and blues concerts at the Clyde and other venues.

At work, Pete’s colleagues referred to him as a legend in the construction industry working for several companies in Fort Wayne. He recently won the Driver of the Year Award for his work with Big C Lumber. After he won, he said he was just doing his job and didn’t quite realize how hard working and different his work ethic and personality were.

He will be deeply missed by those who survive including his wife Glenna of 36 years, his stepsons Greg, John (Melissa), Jeremy, Josh, daughter Hollie (Nick), grandchildren Harley, Jaron, Leo, Keigen and Brode; his brothers and sisters, Tim (Christine), Kate, Ed (Pamm) Tess, his twin brother Paul (Cheryl), Phil (Patty), Marty (Lynn), Andy (Julie), Rita (Dave), Angie (David), Christian (Dawn) and dozens of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Richard and Carol (Heminger) and his oldest brother Dan (Suzanne).

There will be a celebration of his life on March 18, 2023, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church at 2120 S. Harrison Street with a funeral mass at 10:00 am followed by a reception at the American Legion Post 241, 7605 Bluffton Road at 11:30am. with Military funeral honors at 1pm.

Memorials can be made in Pete’s name to www.fairhavenfoundation.org who provided a place to stay, meals, prayer and much support to the family during his stay in the critical care unit at IU Medical Center in Indianapolis.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared by visiting: https://obituaries.neptunesociety.com/obituaries/indianapolis-in/peter-doak-11151933.