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Permanent LinkSenator Donald V. Doyle View All Years
Donald V. Doyle
Donald V. Doyle was born on January 13, 1925, in Sioux City, Iowa, to William and Nellie Sparby Doyle. He passed away on June 4, 2007, at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife Janet “Jan”; two daughters, Dawn Doyle Stewart and her husband Bryan of Sioux City, and Shannon Bathurst and her husband Rob of Bismarck, North Dakota; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Doyle attended public schools in Sioux City and graduated from Sioux City Central High School. He served in the United States Army Air Corps in the Chinese-Burma theater during World War II. Doyle studied engineering at Colorado A & M and at the University of Colorado. He received his bachelor’s degree from Morningside College, his law degree from the University of South Dakota, and his juris doctorate from Morningside College. He later attended the University of Iowa to study nuclear science. He married Jan Holtz on August 7, 1963. Doyle was a Sioux City attorney for more than five decades.
Doyle was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1956. He served nine terms in the House and three terms in the Senate. He was interested in education and law enforcement and served on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was considered an authority on the prison system, and he toured nationally to share that experience. He was a chair of the Law and Justice Committee for the National Conference of State Legislatures. He also served as commissioner of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Doyle was a member of the Sioux City and Iowa Bar Associations and the Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity. He was a lifetime member the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans. He served three terms as a national judge advocate and as commander of the Iowa CIB Veterans Association. He was also active with the Civil Defense as a ham radio operator. He was interested in electronics and was known as a “gadget man.” He loved a challenge, never gave up, and always spoke his mind.
Doyle was a Woodbury County Democrat. He was in the Iowa Legislature during the 57th, 58th, 61st, and 63rd through 74th General Assemblies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE EIGHTY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable Donald V. Doyle, the State has lost an honored citizen and faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this resolution expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.
MICHAEL E. GRONSTAL
STEVE WARNSTADT
RON WIECK
Committee