On Sept. 8, 2023, Kenneth John Doolin entered the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was born Nov. 30, 1941, to Jack and Florence Doolin in Portland, Ore. He attended one year of college after high school graduation and then enlisted in the Army, serving from June 20, 1960, to May 16, 1963. Believing that God was calling him into the ministry, he went to Bible college and then to Western Baptist Seminary in Portland. His years in ministry spanned 44 years, retiring in July 2014.

Ken loved the outdoors, especially fishing, and backpacked in the Wallowa Mountains with family and friends for several years. He loved spending time with his family. He will always be remembered for his humility, his desire to serve others, his “shepherd’s heart,” his sense of humor, his booming laugh and his use of one-liners.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Florence, and one nephew. He is survived by his wife, Beth, of 58 years, his three children: Cheryl (Scott) Maiorca of Papillion, Neb., Tim (Jenn) of Sheridan, Wyo., and Steve (Chaney) of Blair, Neb., his sister Liz (Jim) Thares of Sauk Rapids, Minn., eight grandchildren, two nieces and a nephew.

He has chosen to donate his body to science to be used by one of the medical schools in Omaha.

Memorial services will be held at Reach Church, 13121 CR 36, Blair, Neb., on Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Reach Church, Outreach fund, P.O. Box 219, Blair, NE, 68008.

#2 Funeral leaflet

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Funeral leaflet

Obituary

On Friday, September 8, 2023, after a lengthy battle with dementia and then lymphoma, Kenneth John Doolin entered the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will miss him, but our hope in Jesus gives our family confidence that we will be reunited in the kingdom of heaven.

Born to Jack & Florence Doolin, Ken began his journey November 30, 1941 in Portland, Oregon, where he lived on a small farm throughout his childhood, gaining a love for gardening and hard work. He attended Portsmouth Elementary and John Jacob Astor Elementary before transitioning to Dale J. Ickes Jr. High. He then spent 2 years at Milwaukie High. Once Clackamas High was built, he concluded his public education, graduating in 1959. While attending Clackamas High he lettered in golf.

After graduating from high school, he attended one year at Portland State University before enlisting in the Army, where he served from June 20, 1960 to May 16, 1963. He spent much of his military time in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks. Toward the end of his three years, his platoon went to Thailand on maneuvers and were then extended to be there 4 months. His stories from those days kept his children entertained for hours. After his honorable discharge, he returned to the Portland area and began dating Beth Marvin in December of 1963. He and Beth exchanged vows on August 20, 1965, and he loved her faithfully for 58 incredible years. He often asked for her in his final days, a testament to a love that endured, even when his mind no longer comprehended most of reality.

Before dating Beth, Ken felt God calling him to the ministry, but he walked away from that calling. Toward the end of his military stint, God transformed his heart and he renewed his commitment to the ministry, so he finished a year at Cascade College and then continued his education at Multnomah School of the Bible (Now Multnomah Bible College), graduating in May, 1967, with a Th.B. He concluded his education at Western Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary in Portland, graduating in May, 1970 with a Master of Divinity.

During his senior year at Western, he did occasional pulpit supply. One of the churches at which he preached (Condon Baptist Church) called him to be their pastor. He graduated on May 12, 1970 from Western, and moved to Condon on May 14, followed shortly thereafter by the birth of his daughter Cheryl on June 16th. Tim followed in July, 1972, and Steve arrived in April, 1975.

His time in the ministry spanned 44 years. He served Condon Baptist Church from May, 1970 to November, 1973, before he accepted a position at Bible Baptist Church in Astoria, Oregon where he served from November 1973, to April, 1980. He was called to Tacoma, Washington to pastor a fledgling congregation at South Pacific Baptist Church (which later moved and changed its name to New Life Fellowship) from April, 1980 to July, 1991, and then accepted a call to First Baptist Church of Sheridan, Wyoming in August, 1991. He graced the pulpit in Sheridan until his retirement on May 31, 2009. He finished his time from the pulpit by completing a 6-month interim at Grace Baptist Church, in Buffalo, Wyoming, and a 2 ½ year interim at Bethel Baptist, Torrington, stepping away from ministry for good July 31, 2014 as he began to experience the first symptoms of dementia.

Ken will always be remembered for his humility and his desire to serve others. He had a "shepherd's hears". He disliked the limelight, preferring to lead by example. Folks knew he loved and cared for them, and his congregations became an extension of family. He never knew a stranger. He was also quite a prankster and joker, possessing an incredible vocabulary, which allowed him to use one-liners and other forms of humor to diffuse tensions and keep an audience laughing. His booming belly laugh filled a room, and many found it contagious.

Ken loved the outdoors, especially fishing, and it was with great enjoyment that he plied the waters of the Pacific Northwest and then Wyoming with his lure or fly; perhaps his greatest joy came from sharing that love with his children and grandchildren. He backpacked extensively in the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon, and relished hunting season and the time he could spend pursuing game with his family. For years, he was seldom seen without a camera, and to the surprise of many, he had an excellent singing voice, and played a rousing rendition of the 12th Street Rag.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Florence.

He is survived by his wife Beth of 58 years, his daughter Cheryl (Scott) Maiorca and their boys Breydon, Jude, and Roegen of Papillion, NE; his oldest son Time (Jenn) of Sheridan, Wyoming; his youngest son Steve (Chaney) and their children McKenna, Justus, Zachary and Jaxson of Blair, NE, and his sister Liz (Jim) Thares of Sauk Rapids, MN.

He has chosen to donate his body to science to be used by one of the medical schools in Omaha.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Reach Church, Outreach fund, P.O. Box 219, Blair, NE 68008

Order of Service
Family processional--Doolin Family
Welcome: Andrew Anderson.
Opening Prayer: Andrew Anderson.
Scripture Reading: Rich Ronning
Obituary & Reflection(s): Andrew Anderson
Ken Doolin Tribute: Jaxson Doolin
Open Letter, by Ken Doolin: Steve Doolin
Video Sharing: Tim Doolin
Slideshow
Message of Hope: Andrew Anderson
Special Music: Russell Siemer and Bethany Norine
Closing Prayer: Andrew Anderson

Please join us in the Reach Cafe following the service.

~~~Obituaries and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

FindaGrave #259753804