Benjamin E. Doty was born into a Christian home on 24 March 1931 in Kellogg, Idaho to Harvey Hammer Doty and Anna (Doubt) Doty. Ben was the second son of five siblings. Born during the Great Depression as part of the “Silent Generation”, Ben grew up respecting the values of his elders and learning life with scarcity Harvey & Anna achieved limited educations yet all five of their children graduated college and several accomplished masters degrees.
Life in 1931 in a mining town with five children meant money was tight. As a young man, Ben once took a paper route and a couple months later Harvey asked: “Ben…how much money are you making each month delivering papers?” When Ben told him, Harvey remarked “you’re costing me more money in shoe repair than you’re earning!” Harvey & Anna were well known at church and as a talented mechanic Harvey had many friends in Kellogg. The foundation of Harvey and Anna’s hand-built home was poured over time using the tailings of daily cement truck drivers who gladly repaid Harvey for his work and kindness. Ben worked summers with Harvey at the Bunker Hill Mine…hard, dirty work. Transportation was primitive- when his brother John joined the Navy, he sold Ben his 1924 Ford model T truck…in 1949! These stories and their underlying lessons are still being told and taught throughout our family. Note- Dad swerved off course once and it literally changed the course of his military career.
After a year in school in Missoula, Montana, Ben returned to Idaho to attend University of Idaho in Moscow where he studied political science, joined ROTC and also met Patricia M. Dyson. Upon graduation Ben was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army and in 1954 received his first assignment to Germany. Thinking he might be missing out on a good thing, he called Pat and asked if he could come visit before deploying. Wisely he asked her to marry him and they wed Sept 5, 1954 in Boise. Thus began their lifelong journey traveling and living overseas and from coast to coast in the USA.
About that swerve off course…as a young Lieutenant, Ben decided to buy a car and he financed it. Several months later he was complaining to a friend that he wasn’t meeting his monthly budget with a $73 car payment. His friend mentioned the army was paying a stipend if he applied to flight school and made Army Aviator. Ben applied and was accepted, heading to flight school and thus becoming a dual-MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) officer, working both field artillery and army aviation careers. Ben worked hard- as a soldier working dual-MOS he always felt behind…when he was given field artillery assignments his flight time lagged. When he was flying his artillery time lagged. But as his mother Anna used to say: “Hard work never killed anyone!” Later, Ben’s sign-off when talking to us kids was “work hard, I love you.”
Along the way came daughter Diana M. Doty (Molenaar) in 1959 and son Craig A. Doty in 1963. Dad & mom taught us skiing, camping, fishing, tennis, and got us both into piano. They taught us to invest long term and to avoid debt. They taught us true friends are hard to find but worth the trouble, community is more than who is around you it’s what you make of it. The flag stands for us, who we are, what we are made of, and gives us a united reason to be proud.
Dad’s army career included frequent assignments in command and leadership positions, serving two tours in Vietnam, flying multi-engine rotary and fixed wing aircraft, leading as Commander or Assistant Division Commander in various assignments and retiring after 31 years as a Major General. A plaque in his office from the Sergeants Major of 3d Armored Division Artillery describes him as “A Soldiers Soldier”.
Dad was inducted into the University of Idaho Hall of Fame in 1984. He and mom established a scholarship endowment for Political Science in his name and established one for Journalism in her name at University of Idaho. Those endowments and scholarship awards remain in place.
Bens’ friends called him “General” and his friends came from the army, politics, fly fishing and the Primetimers ski club at Bogus Basin. Dad chaired the Ada County Republican party and chaired the Lincoln Day Celebration for several years. He fished with many friends, often introducing them to the sport. Dad raced many years at Bogus Basin and Brundage Mountain and earned dozens of podium finishes while his competition waited patiently for their shot at his age group as he reached the next age cutoff. Dad skied until March 2021, just a couple weeks shy of his 90 th birthday. Many a friend in the Treasure Valley remember dad for his huckleberry and peach jams and everyone looked forward to his latest injury report!
Ben enjoyed the balance of his life in the company of Jill Carissimi. Jill became the second love of Dads life and a gift to him and our families. Dad welcomed Jills two daughters and their families, including ‘the grands’ into the family. Of course, dad taught Jill to fly fish and she often joined in on trips to the middle fork of the Boise River and south fork of the Snake River in Swan Valley, Idaho. Jill became a fanatical huckleberry picker and she and dad made hundreds of jars of jam. We enjoyed her company at Jake’s ISU football games, river rafting, small ship cruising, dinners out and summer evenings on Dad’s back deck. Dad enjoyed proudly introducing Jill as his ‘significant other’ or “S.O”. Dad was a gift to all who knew him.
Ben was preceded in death by Pat, his ‘perfect army wife’, brother John, sister Helen and brother-in-law Vernon Eaton. He is survived by his brother’s wife Cora Lea, sisters Marilyn Hallett (husband Kenny) and Laura Williamson (husband Bob), daughter Diana Molenaar (husband Jerry), grandsons Taylor (wife Kayla) and Jacob and son Craig (wife Denise Seinturier), granddaughters Jessica Davis (husband Matt) Jacqueline Doty, Jennifer Doty, grandsons Jonah Haddad, Elijah Haddad and great-grandson Cameron Davis born March 8.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 11:00 am at Bowman Funeral located at 10254 W. Carlton Bay Garden City, Idaho with a committal service to follow at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.
Donations in memory of Ben can be made to the American Classical Schools of Idaho, 500 SW 3 rd St, Fruitland, ID 83619. https://acs-id.org/