Laurance Lee Doby

1928 - 2025  (96 years)

• Name	Laurance Lee Doby  [1, 2]
  Birth	17 May 1928	Hamlin, Texas, USA   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1930	Precinct 2, Precinct 2, Fisher, Texas, USA   [3]
  Residence	1935	McCaulley, Fisher, Texas, USA   [1]
  Residence	1940	J P 2, Fisher, Texas, USA   [1]
  	Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Son
  Military	United States Air Force (source: Obituary)
  Obituary	Laurance Lee Doby, age 96, of Gulfport, MS, passed away Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, where he lived for the past 11 years. Mr. Doby was born May 17, 1928, in Hamlin, TX. He is the son of the late John R. and the late Nancy Bride (Mason) Doby. He married Helen Marie Davis on December 6, 1954; she preceded him in death on July 15, 2011. Before moving to Gulfport, he had retired in Lucedale, MS, with wife Helen and was a member of Sandhill Baptist Church. He served in the Air Force as a flight engineer for 21 years during the postwar withdrawal era of WWII and during the Korean and Vietnam wars. After retiring from the Air Force as a Senior Master Sergeant, he served in the Dept. of Army's civil service as an Aircraft Equipment Specialist in the helicopter division to ensure quality control and parts procurement for the "Huey" and Sikorsky helicopters. Mr. Doby enjoyed many hobbies throughout his life including fixing up old cars (despite incurring his wife’s ire every time she found out he provided the service for free!), driving along the coast sightseeing, going out for pizza when visitors came to town, and trouncing unsuspecting guests at Mexican Train Dominoes. He was known for his kind, gentle heart who loved company and made friends everywhere he went. Special memories include lovingly raising his step-daughter as his own, rescuing his eldest daughter’s car from a ditch and restoring all the damage before it was discovered by her mother, sparking his eldest son’s interest in a career as a mechanic as he welcomed him to the garage to hold a wrench or help bleed brakes on the family car, engaging in long talks with his youngest son, spending rare, one-on-one father/daughter time taking his youngest to the zoo in the middle of winter when it was so cold only the polars bears dared brave the weather (guess who still loves polar bears?), and his steady, unassuming faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Laurance Doby will be sadly missed by all who knew him. He is survived by daughter, Karen Elaine (Karen Lynn Edwards) Doby of Lake Mary, FL; son, Kenneth Richard (Pamela Kay) Doby, Sr. of Lucedale, MS; son, Ronald Alan (Darala Antoinette) Doby of Dumfries, VA; daughter, Cheryl Annette (Bernard Arnold Jr.) Bigham, of Castle Rock, CO; 7 Grandchildren; and 8 Great Grandchildren. Mr. Doby is predeceased by wife, Helen Marie Doby; step-daughter, Linda Faye (Ralph Dangberg) Sorrick; granddaughter, Teresa Marie Doby; brother, Lewis Elmer Doby; sister, Ruby Sarah Mae Graham; sister, Myrtle Lois McGinnis; brother, Willie Arthuer Doby; and brother, Cyril Albert Doby. The funeral will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Sigler Funeral Home, 4248 Main St., Lucedale, MS, with Rev. Michael Gibson officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery, Lucedale. Calling hours will be Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 9:00am-10:00am at Sigler Funeral Home, 4248 Main St., Lucedale, MS. (Published online by Sigler Funeral Home, Lucedale, MS. Accessed 19 Jul 2025. URL: https://www.siglerfuneral.com/obituary/laurance-doby.)
  Death	10 May 2025	Gulfport, Harrison, Mississippi, USA
  Person ID	I232413787432	Doby
  Last Modified	19 Jul 2025

  
  

  Father	John #31 Doby,   b. 11 July 1884, Davidson County, North Carolina, USA d. 5 March 1964, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, USA (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Nancy Bride Doby,   b. 18 August 1889, Alabama, USA d. 22 February 1973, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, USA (Age 83 years)
  Marriage	1909	Jones, Texas, USA
  Family ID	F105	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helen Marie Davis
  Children	1. Karen Elaine Doby + 2. Kenneth Richard Doby, Sr.   3. Ronald Alan Doby   4. Cheryl Annette Doby
  Family ID	F821	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	19 Jul 2025

  
  

• Sources

  [S717051293] Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Federal Census, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), Year: 1940; Census Place: Fisher, Texas; Roll: m-t0627-04033; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 76-5. [S731066248] Ancestry.com, Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997, (Ancestry.com Operations Inc). [S717051285] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, (Ancestry.com Operations Inc), Year: 1930; Census Place: Precinct 2, Fisher, Texas; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 2342066.