Doyle McGrew

Until around the third grade, Doyle lived and attended grade school in Mountain Pine, where his father worked at the Dierks Sawmill. During WWII, the family moved to Lodi, California, where both of his parents worked at the Army Shipping Depot and his brother, Sterling, joined the Air Force. After the war, Doyle moved back to Hot Springs. He graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1953. At the age of 14, during his high school years, he worked the afternoon newspaper route and worked at Kypke Grocery. His electrical experience started as an electrician's helper at Dierks Forest Sawmill in the Electrical Maintenance Department. Raines Electric is where he became an apprentice electrician, and after joining the IBEW Electrical Union, he completed his electrician training. He served our country in the Air National Guard as Sergeant First Class-223rd Radio Relay Squadron stationed at Memorial Field-Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Doyle married Marilyn JoAnn Rose in 1954. Three children were born of this marriage. In 2003, he married Mary Ellene Rice of East End, AR.

Having accepted Jesus as his savior at the age of 14, he was a member of New Salem United Methodist Church and East End Baptist Church. Doyle was a loving father who loved his children and grandchildren dearly. He taught them many things in life, a few being respect, love for others, and a strong work ethic. Doyle loved to fix and create things. He passed his vast mechanical and electrical knowledge on to his children and grandchildren.

In addition to his parents and his brother, Sterling McGrew, he is preceded in death by great-grandchildren, Cody Beck and Thatcher McGrew. Cherishing his memory are his three children, Randy McGrew (Cynthia), Richard McGrew (Debbie), and Marilyn McGrew; stepchildren, Tanya Smith, Rachel Piker, and John Rice Jr; nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, as well as a host of special friends.

Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Friday, July 14th, in the chapel of Gross Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday morning at Gross Funeral Home. Interment with United States Air Force military honors will follow at Godwin Cemetery.

The online obituary, guestbook, and memorial tribute are available at www.GrossFuneralHome.com.