Douglas Bethea

Douglas “Doug” Bethea, age 87, better known to some as Inspector Gadget, passed away on Friday January 15th, 2021 with his wife Robbie, son Donald, & daughter Lynn at his side. He is preceded in death by his parents, Edith & Joseph Bethea; 1 brother, Donald Bethea; 4 sisters, Laura Savage, Annette Rockwell, Evelyn Leseur, Doris Bethea; 1 daughter, Thresa Jean Andrews; 3 grandsons; & 1 granddaughter. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Robbie; 1 sister, Edith Allen; 3 sons, Donald L. Bethea, Mickral L. Wilder, Donald B. Wilder & their spouses; 4 daughters, Jacqueline Dee Browning, Lynn Bethea Wilson, Virginia Ann Miklic, Lisa Gail Sterling & their spouses; 20 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; & a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, & friends.

Born in 1933 in Brewton, Alabama, Doug attended Vigor High school where he was involved in baseball & football. Working as an apprentice brick mason, Doug was drafted into the military where he served as a medic during the Korean war, during which he played in the Texas Minor League baseball team for the Army. After being released he resumed work as a brick mason, before starting his own construction company. This led him to teach brick masonry at Milton High school in Milton, Fl 1973-1974. While working as a brick mason, he witnessed a hit & run accident which he assisted the State Troopers in solving, thus discovering his talent for investigation. After working as a State Trooper, Doug went on to attend the Police Academy, becoming a Prichard Policeman. As an officer, he started & served on the Prichard SWAT Team, then going on to work as a detective. During this time, Doug won a Supreme Court case, acted as the bodyguard to then Mayor A.J. Cooper, acted as bodyguard to Univ. of Alabama Coach Stallings, & assisted the Secret Service when Pres. Gerald Ford visited Alabama.

After retiring, he became a bounty hunter, retrieving a fugitive from Mexico & a wanted person from Madrid, Spain. Deciding to settle down in his 60s, he began his own bail bonding company. During all of this Doug was still doing masonry on the side. At 70, he decided to take a calmer path & restarted his construction company, which he continued until he was 80. Then he decided to go back into security, acting as a security guard for a local grocery for a few years, finally fully retiring in his mid 80s to rest at home with his wife. Though this did not last long as he then ran for & won State Constable for his district.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at Radney Funeral, 1200 Industrial Parkway, Saraland, AL 36571 from 1:00 pm until service time at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow in Valhalla Memorial Gardens, Semmes, AL.