Robert "Bob" Merle Doughty

ROBERT M. "BOB" DOUGHTY

OCTOBER 17, 1951 - JANUARY 17, 2026

Robert Merle "Bob" Doughty was cleared for his last take-off on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in Peoria, Illinois. There to see him off were his loving wife, Carolyn, and his son Rob.

Bob was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Earlville, Illinois where Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 11:00 AM with Pastor Denise Rode officiating. Burial will follow in Precinct Cemetery, rural Earlville, with military honors.

Visitation will be held prior to services from 9:00 - 11:00 AM at the church.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Turner-Eighner Funeral Homes.

Bob was born to Mary Rita (Mitchell) and George Eugene "Gene" Doughty on October 17, 1951, in Mendota, Illinois. His father was a farmer, and he was raised on the farm north of Earlville. Bob was their fourth son until his younger brother joined the family fourteen years later. His mother was a devout Catholic and Bob was raised in the Catholic faith, attending St.

Teresa's Catholic Church in Earlville where he was confirmed in 1963.

He attended the Earlville schools and graduated with the Class of Sooth in 1969. Following graduation, he attended Illinois Valley Community College. To pay his way, he worked various part-time jobs in the Illinois Valley area. In 1970, he accepted a full-time position at Bob Morse Ford in Ottawa as an apprentice mechanic, also working evenings pumping gas at Pilson Shell Station.

In 1971, Bob married Janet Cantlin and they became the parents of two children, a son Robert "Rob" and a daughter Kimberly "Kim", before becoming divorced.

On December 29, 1976, he married Carolyn (nee Todd) Loy in Ottawa, Illinois and became the stepfather to her two children, Stephanie and Jeremy Loy. The family grew more in 2020, when Bob was united with a son he had never known about, Robert "Rob" Austin. Imagine his delight in finding out that he had not one, but two sons named Rob! He really enjoyed building a relationship with Rob A. and his family over the last few years.

Most of Bob's professional career was with Caterpillar, Inc. in Montgomery, Illinois. He started there in 1972 as an assembler and soon thereafter entered their four-year Tool & Die Makers program.

In September of 1974, Bob enlisted in the United States Air Force with a guaranteed job as an Aircraft Maintenance Specialist (aircraft mechanic), his dream job. Following basic training, he was assigned to Travis Air Force Base, California, as a Fabric & Rubber Specialist. When he questioned this, he was told that the field he had been guaranteed was full.

This was not what he promised and in June 1975 he was honorably discharged with full benefits. By July of that year, he was back working at Caterpillar and in October of 1976, he started working part-time as a mechanic and agricultural equipment assembler at Howey's Sales & Service in Earlville.

On December 8, 1978, Bob graduated from the 4-year Tool & Die Maker program at Caterpillar. His career continued to advance, and he went on to hold various positions throughout the company. His interest was always in Tool Design and for a period he taught Pro-E modeling, not only to himself but also to co-workers at both the Aurora and Mossville facilities.

Bob’s love of flying and aviation was instilled in him by his father who was a private pilot. In 1981,Bob started taking flying lessons, paying for them by buying and reselling old buying Volkswagens. In 1981, he obtained his private pilot's license and shortly thereafter purchased his first airplane. He went on to purchase a second airplane in 1998 and many in the Earlville and surrounding area have watched his yellow and white biplane flying overhead. Of his four brothers, three of them became private pilots.

Bob was always ready and willing to share his love of flying and to help others in any way he could. He became a member, officer and volunteer pilot of Lifeline Pilots, an organization of private pilots who volunteer their services and aircraft to provide free non-emergency air transportation to those who have medical or humanitarian needs. He was also a member and volunteer pilot for Wings over the Midwest and Angel Flight Center.

In 1982, he joined AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) and EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) in 1997. He really enjoyed flying to the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh for many years.

Following a 30-year career at Caterpillar, Bob retired as a Planning Supervisor on February 28, 2002. Desiring to further his aviation experience, he began working part-time for Radio Ranch in Rock Falls, Illinois installing aviation equipment in small aircraft. This led to his obtaining his A & P license (Airframe & Powerplant) on March 12, 2010. He retired from Radio Ranch on June 25, 2015.

Other organizations he belonged to, at one time or another, were the EAA Chapter (Mendota); the Starved Rock HOG Chapter (Ottawa); the Princeton HOG Chapter; the Muskie 15 Club, a group of friends and boating enthusiasts; the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club and the Mendota Elks.

Bob was loved by many. He never knew a stranger and would sit and talk to anyone with an ear. His personality was infectious and larger than life.

Always active, he enjoyed working with his hands, could fix or design anything and we're pretty sure there isn't a tool out there that he didn't own at least one of. His life motto was to work hard, have fun and laugh as often as you can.

Along with flying, he loved his Irish heritage, sipping and sharing a really good whiskey, farming his small hobby farm with antique equipment, camping in his vintage Winnebago, boating, skiing, riding his Harley, hiking, vacationing and traveling. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family and his many friends.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Carolyn (Todd) Doughty along with their combined children: Robert "Rob" Doughty, Kimberly "Kim" Knap; Robert "Rob" (Breanne) Austin; Stephanie (Eric) Hall, and Jeremy Loy; ten grandchildren, Ava and Owen Knap, Zach (Brianna), Ben, Sam and Elowyn "Elly" Austin, Andrew and Owen Hall and Monica (Dylan Hepburn) and Izybella "Iz" Loy; one great-grandson, Elliott Austin; one brother, James "Jim" (Kelly) Doughty of Ottawa; brother and sisters-in-law, Diane Chancey; Julie and Corey Iversen; Chad (Jami Bauer) Todd and Vicki Doughty; Aunts, Uncles, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, wonderful friends and extended family members. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him!

He was preceded in death by his parents; his paternal and maternal grandparents; brothers and sisters-in-laws, William Wesley "Wes" and Nancy Doughty; John Edward "Ed" and Paula Doughty; and Thomas "Tom" Doughty; twin grandsons; a nephew, and a grand-niece.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Bickford Cottage and Traditions Health Care of Peoria for their kind and compassionate care of "Mr. Robert".

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family, Earlville Community Historical Society in Earlville or Lifeline Pilots, 4507 N. Sterling Ave., Suite 402, Peoria, IL 61615.

For more information or to sign the online guest book, go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com and please feel free to share a favorite memory or two of Bob.

Hanley-Turner-Eighner Funeral Home PO Box 808 Earlville, IL 60518 815-246-6491