We are writing this to celebrate the life of our dad, Ronald Joseph Doebel. He was a character that lived an interesting life. He was born in Fletcher, Oklahoma to Joseph and Hazel Doebel on the 2nd month, 9th day of 1938. When asked, that’s exactly how he would say it. He left this earth to be with his heavenly family on the 9th month, 2nd day of 2024.

He was the fifth of six children, and in 1941 the family moved to St. Paul, Kansas. Our dad lived most of his younger years in St. Paul. He made many friends in there, and one of his best friends was Arnie Ward. Arnie’s brother, Tom, had moved to Northern California to work in the timber industry. So dad and Arnie decided to give it a try. Our dad went to work for the Pacific Lumber Company and he was employed by them for over 40 years doing many different jobs.

In 1962, he married our mother, Linda Louise Sarvinski. They were married for 52 years until she passed in 2014. They had two children, Santina and Shawn.

In the 1970s, dad decided to go back to school. So he got his GED and enrolled at College of the Redwoods. He studied diesel mechanics and welding. He joined the Diesel Club. Our dad helped build the first diesel-powered race car, and it held the record for the fastest speed for a diesel motor for over 40 years.

Dad had so many interests and he filled his life helping the community. He was a member of the Eel River Valley Model A Club. He served as the President of the Eel River Valley Pop Warner Football. He was an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Scotia. He and our mother were very active in the Charismatic movement and they traveled all over leading and participating in worship services spreading the Good News about God.

Our dad really loved making firewood. He spent many Saturdays making firewood for our family or any friend that needed it.

He felt like one of his greatest accomplishments was being a recovering alcoholic. He spent many hours at AA meetings and he loved sharing recovery with anyone who needed his help. Our dad was somewhat of a coin collector, but the coins he loved the most were the coins he got for another year of sobriety, which was almost over 40 years.

Three of his five siblings are still living in Kansas — his sisters, Sister Mary Clare Doebel & Philamena Blaes (her loving family), and one brother, Robert Doebel and his wife Edna. Dad has many cousins still living in the Midwest. Thank you to all the Kansas Doebel family for loving our dad from the beginning.

He married into the Sarvinski family and he loved and appreciated being part of the family. Thank you to all of the Sarvinskis for loving and accepting our dad as one of their own. It meant so much to him.

Our dad had so many great friends. Many have passed. But the ones he was able to communicate with often were Arnie Ward, Richard Peterson, Jerry and Marlene Aldrich, Tom Webb, Dave Houseworth and Darlene O’Neil just to name a few. Thank you to all of these people for being such a good friend to our dad.

In 1988, our parents purchased property on Holmes Flat. They started Doeby’s Dried Flower Basket. They were in business for almost 10 years. He loved his property on Holmes Flat and he spent many hours working the ground with his tractor and mowing lots of grass. This is where he spent the past 37 years until the day he left us to go to Heaven.

He had two amazing granddaughters, Kaylie and Shelby. He really loved both the girls and at some point decided to save his spare change for them. So each time one of the girls came to visit they usually got a roll of quarters. When Shelby married Matt Hernandez, he started getting quarters, too.

Our dad was a fix-it kind of guy. If something broke, he tried his best to fix it. We were talking and we can’t remember a single incident when a repairman came to our home. Dad would either figure out a way to repair what wasn’t working right or he would seek out advice from someone who knew and then dad completed the job. He truly had a mechanical mind. He wasn’t always perfect, but he gave it his best shot. He taught us not to give up, to just keep trying and figure out a way.

He loved football! He loved watching all the family members over the years play football. He followed and loved the 49ers. He had a brief alliance with the Denver Broncos when Shawn and his family lived in Colorado. The team he grew to love the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. I’m sure being from Kansas influenced his appeal for the team.

He also loved to deer hunt. And he and Jerry would each get their deer every year. Often times it would be one shot then the second shot. And in an instance, they each filled their tag. As he got older, it was hard for him to hunt. But he invited many people to come and hunt on our property. Sheaden Kadle was the first and then then Jason. Dad would love to see what they got every time. It really excited him.

Our dad is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Hazel Doebel. His wife, Linda Doebel. His brothers, Herbert and Raymond Doebel. Brother-in-law, Raymond Blaes, His mother and father-in-law, Henry and Mildred Sarvinski, his brother-in-law’s, Galen Sarvinski, and Frank Cardoza(Frank’s granddaughter, Sarah).

He is survived by his children, Santina Bolton(boyfriend Neil Reiners) and Shawn Doebel( his wife, Marta Martinez). His granddaughters Kaylie Doebel & Shelby Hernandez and her husband Staff Sergeant Matthew Hernandez. His sisters, Sister Mary Claire Doebel, Philamena Blaes (her children and their families) and brother, Robert Doebel and his wife Edna. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters-in-law, Lottie Luke, Gary and Linda Sarvinski, Amy Sarvinski, Gerald and Julie Sarvinski, Leanne and Gary Ryan, Greg and Tammie Sarvinski, Gene and Ginger Sarvinski, & Lisa and Vince Gamboa. And also many nieces and nephews.

Our dad had a special bond with his daughter-in-law, Marta. She always treated him with the most respect. She always called him, Mr. Doebel and he loved it! Thank you Marta for being so kind to our dad and for being there for both Shawn and I during the time of dad’s passing. We can’t thank you enough!

One thing dad taught us was to never give up. He kept going, moving forward in life, and tackling whatever came his way.

Some people have asked where they can make a donation in his memory. If anyone wishes to do something like that, we would ask that you Pay It Forward. There were so many times that our dad would help someone that needed it. Dad came home one day and told our mother I want you to start making me two sandwiches every day for lunch. He found out one of his coworkers didn’t have money to bring lunch. So dad started bringing him a sandwich to work every day. I can tell many more instances but I think you understand. So in his honor sometime just, Pay It Forward.

Every time our dad would talk to his sisters on the telephone, he would always tell them…” now remember we still love you.” So to end this tribute to our dad, Ronald Joseph Doebel, even though you are no longer here with us physically, always remember that we still love you!