Robert Eugene Doss was born in Berryville, Arkansas, on May 17, 1932. He was the firstborn son of Joseph Floyd Doss and Emma Lou Patton Doss. Three more boys would follow.
Despite the hard times of that era, Dad graduated as president of his senior class. He was co-captain of the football team along with Jack Edens, something they were very proud of, and they remained lifelong friends. His senior class prophecy predicted that he would become president of the United States, and although he never held an official office, he ran for County Judge twice and was head of the Carroll County Republican Party for many years, as well as serving on the Carroll County Election Commission.
When Dad was 17, he enlisted in the National Guard and left Carroll County with many of the local boys with the 936th Field Artillery Battalion for Korea. According to Shirley Pyron, most were considered kids but good marksmen by their senior officers. That, and the fact that they often forgot to salute an officer, gained them the title of “the shootinist, non-salutinest “in the outfit. Fortunately, all returned home safely.
In 1953, he met Grace Keefe, the love of his life, at the Berryville Drugstore, and they were united in marriage on January 16, 1954. From there, they moved to Russellville to attend Arkansas Tech University, where their first son, Owen, was born. After being offered a tree trimming job for the city of Chicago by his father-in-law, they moved and began to grow their family, welcoming Tom, then Mary Nell, Jeffrey, Barry, Geralyn, and Clint. After his father’s death, he picked up the family and moved back home to embrace the country and farming life. He then returned to school at Arkansas Tech during the week to obtain his teaching degree and returned on weekends while Grace took care of their seven children. It was quite an adventure for us, but we’re unsure if Mom felt the same way! He taught chemistry, physics, and general science at Berryville Schools from 1966 until 1971, and he is remembered fondly by many of his students.
Tragically, in 1967, after a difficult pregnancy, they lost their son, Michael, shortly after his birth, but in the winter of 1971, their beloved daughter, Eileen, was born thus completing their brood of eight.
After teaching for 5 years, he started a sanitation service in Berryville called Dispose-All, providing a much-needed rural sanitation service. It was the first of its kind in the area. He also started the recycling center. Dad was never one to lay idle after retirement. He worked at St. Vincent De Paul’s, Wal-Mart, and as a hospice volunteer, but his favorite job was working at Saunder’s Museum. In his spare time, he enjoyed rounds of poker with his friends from the American Legion or a game of dominoes with Levi Phillips and their cohorts who enjoyed discussing many of the hot topic issues of the day. He loved people and good conversations, and he was always on the move. He was proud of the world he’d created on the farm and cherished his 18 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Dad had such a love for babies, and they loved him. They seldom cried in his arms.
In November of 2013, he was felled by a massive stroke, which rendered him unable to speak or walk, but he was lovingly cared for by his family and several caretakers, to whom the family will be forever grateful.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph F. Doss and Emma Lou Russell; his infant son, Michael; and his son, Clinton Matthew Doss; and his three brothers, Billy J. Doss, Jerry R. Doss and Hugh Patrick Doss.
Dad was the last remaining member of his immediate family, a hardworking, colorful, and unforgettable family that contributed to the fabric of Carroll County. We are a family with a legacy of wonderful stories, and those stories are what define us and wind their way into the tapestry of our lives. We’ll be retelling them for years. Some of our favorites were setting off with Dad every December to tromp the woods looking for the perfect Christmas tree, riding in the back of the pickup truck hanging on to the racks, and looking back and wondering how we survived. We have too many survival tales to list but trust us, there are many! Of course, then there were the legendary marathon phone calls with Rex Gentry to discuss politics- it seemed like they would last forever. Dad would bring home inner tubes, and we would lie under the stars looking for shooting stars or cuddle up under blankets and watch the thunderstorms and lightning on the front porch. He seemed to know how valuable nature was to children and provided lots of opportunities, like hauling wood from the forest, teaching us to swim in the pond, and our favorite of all… feeding the cattle. There are so many wonderful memories to take with us on our journey.
And, lastly, a special thank you to all who stopped by to visit and help over the years. It’s been quite the journey.
Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Charles M. Nelson Memorial Chapel in Berryville. Funeral service will be 10:00 am, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in St. Anne Catholic with Father Joseph Archibong officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Shop, 1844 Hwy. 62 W, Berryville, AR 72616, or Arkansas Hospice, 310 S Main St Suite D, Berryville,AR 72616. Arrangements are under the direction of Nelson Funeral Service. Online condolences may be sent to the family at nelsonfuneral.com.