Donald Dooley

Donald Richard Dooley was born on January 16, 1934 in Indiana. He was the oldest of Verlin and Rosella Dooley’s two sons. The family moved to Arizona when Don was a young boy and then on to Southern California. Don met Allene Pounds in San Bernardino and they married in December 1956. They had two daughters, Darla Jean (Kim Hughes) and Denise Ann (Dave Hart). After spending time in Grover City/Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, and Ventura, Don and Allene retired to Paso Robles.

Don served in the United States Army at Camp Irwin, CA. He was a member of the color guard and was honored to have helped welcome many dignitaries to Norton Air Force Base. Following an Honorable Discharge from the Army, Don specialized in defense missile electronics and enjoyed a long and successful career in civil service at Vandenberg AFB and Point Mugu NAS, working on both the Minuteman and Bomarc missiles.

Don was kind, smart, patient, generous and easygoing. He enjoyed building rockets, auto mechanics, Dale Earnhardt, and playing cards, as well as watching game shows, DIY, HGTV, and baseball. He loved animals and received a blue ribbon for the dairy cow he raised in 4-H while in high school. Most recently Woods Humane Society (SLO County), the Cal Poly Cat Rescue Program and Shriner’s Hospitals for Children were very special to him.

Nothing brought Don more joy and immeasurable pride than his family, especially his grandchildren: Jonathan Chase and wife Amanda; Jordan Chase and partner Kate Ennis; Lawrence Hart, wife Melinda and great-grandchildren Harrison and Sloane; and Nicol “Coley” Hart.

As this beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend leaves us to join his wife, brother and parents in Heaven, we are left with great sadness, but also endless love and wonderful memories of the life we were blessed to share with him.