William Howard Doughty

William of Phoenix and Casa Grande, Arizona, passed away on April 10, 2018. He is sadly missed by wife of 57+ years, Jo Anne, and Son, William L., daughter-in-law Heidi, and 5 year old twin grandsons, Liam and Evan of Phoenix AZ. He is also survived by sister, Maxine McClellan and family of Pendleton, Oregon. William was born in Pittsburgh PA in 1937 to Louis and Alberta (Foley) Doughty. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Louis and John, sisters baby Irma Margaret, Edith, and Estelle. He graduated from Coraopolis High School, PA, in 1955 and entered the US Army in January 1956. Soon after their marriage in 1960 Bill and Jo Anne were bound for Germany with the Army, and experienced the building of the Berlin Wall during this assignment. They stood directly across from the Brandenburg Gate West side in Berlin in January 1962 where Volks Police and Russian troops were guarding the Gate, rifles at ready.

His military stations also included Vietnam, Japan, a second tour in Germany, and Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he retired from the US Army in July 1978 after 22 and a half years of proud and meritorious service. He was selected as the first superintendent of the new Arizona Veterans Cemetery (now National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona) in Cave Creek, Arizona, in September 1978 to May 1979. He later started a new career in civil service as a management analyst at Fort Huachuca and transferred to Camp Zama, Japan in 1989. He and Jo Anne were proud to have climbed Mt. Fuji, Japan, in 1990. He retired from civil service in 1996, and then followed Jo Anne to her new assignment in Singapore, Asia. They returned to the US in 2000 and moved to Casa Grande, AZ in 2003.

His military and civil service, allowed William and Jo Anne to travel to many countries in Europe, Australia, and Asia. He was proud to have had the opportunity of visiting or living in 68 countries. During travel in 2011, they returned to Berlin, this time standing on the East Berlin side of the Brandenberg Gate across from the exact spot where he stood in 1962. He accompanied Jo Anne on some of her work trips, to Laos, Okinawa, Indonesia, Japan, Guam and the U.S.

A memorial service with military honors was held at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Cave Creek, in May 2018. Our gracious thanks to all who made this memorial possible, including military personnel; retired Army chaplain, Rev. Kurt Bishop; Neptune Society funeral services; and the National Memorial Ladies at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. The family expresses thanks to Hospice of the Valley for the care they gave Bill and Jo Anne during his illness. Our humble thanks to Hawthorn Court Assisted Living in Ahwatukee, Phoenix, Arizona, for the excellent care provided by the nurses, caregivers, office staff and management during Bill’s 3 month stay.