Rev. James Edward Doty, PhD

The Rev. Dr. James Edward Doty, 86, died at Alliance Community Hospital, Alliance, Ohio, on Father's Day, June 15, 2008. He was born on May 8, 1922, in Lakewood, Ohio. He was the son of Ordello and Margaret McCurdy Doty.
Dr. Doty was married to Merciel Smith Doty for 65 years, and she survives her husband. He was the father of three children, all of whom survive their father: The Rev. Dr. Mark Allen Doty, Brewer, Maine, Dr. David Wesley Doty and his wife Jill, of Maysville and Louisville, Kentucky, and Ms. Martha Suzanne Doty of Chicago, Illinois, and her fiance, Douglas Harwell of Houston, Texas.
Dr. Doty received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Union College in 1944, his Master of Divinity degree cum laude from Boston University School of Theology in 1947, his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Boston University Graduate School in 1959. He also did graduate work at Harvard and Oxford Universities. Dr. Doty was awarded Doctor of Divinity degrees from Mount Union College and DePauw University.
An ordained Elder of the Northeast Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, Dr. Doty served fifteen pastorates during his professional career in Massachusetts, Indiana, Texas, and Ohio. He was the founding pastor of two churches in Indiana, and he served as the Interim Pastor of nine congregations. He retired from active ministry in 2007.
From 1957-66, Dr Doty served as the Director of Pastoral Care and Counseling of the Indiana Area of the Methodist Church. In 1966, Dr. Doty was invited to serve as President of Baker University, Baldwin, Kansas, a post he held until 1973. Dr. Doty served as the Director of the Corpus Christi Pastoral Counseling Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, from 1973 to 84. A Diplomate in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Dr. Doty founded twelve Pastoral Care and Counseling Centers in New England, the Midwest and in Singapore. For 25 years, Dr. Doty had a private practice in Marriage and Family Therapy before moving to Sebring, Ohio, in 2000.
The author of six books, Dr. Doty detailed his 1955 and 1964 visits to the Gabon, Africa, jungle hospital of Dr. Albert Schweitzer in two of them. The last publication, "For Heaven's Sake!" was co-written with his wife, Merciel.
Dr. and Mrs. Doty visited 102 countries of the world and led 35 tours for Educational Opportunities, Inc. Dr. Doty made twenty trips to the Middle East and twelve trips to Africa. He held a variety of positions with the World Methodist Conference.
A person who has been in "Who's Who in America" since 1966,
Dr. Doty was a pioneer in religious broadcasting. Beginning in 1957, he was the moderator and panelist for the weekly television program "Insight" on WFBM for nine years in Indianapolis. Dr. Doty also hosted television programs with similar formats in Corpus Christi and at Copeland Oaks in Sebring.
In 1963, Dr. Doty was honored by his alma mater, receiving the Alumnus of the Year Award by Mount Union College. Boston University School of Theology honored him in 1969 with the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, and he was the Chair of the School of Theology Board of Visitors for ten years.
Also surviving are four grandchildren and their spouses; Andrew Justin Doty and his wife, Brittany, of San Antonio, Texas, Jessica Doty Klausing and her husband, Joseph, of Louisville, Kentucky, James Joseph "Jed " Doty and his wife, Ellie, of Louisville, Kentucky; and Claire Doty Thibodeau and her husband, Brad, of Exeter, Maine. Four great-grandchildren also survive: Caleb Thibodeau, Cole Thibodeau, Luke Klausing and Jocelyn Doty. Dr. Doty is also survived by two brothers, Robert Doty and his wife, Arlene, of Arlington, Virginia, and Thomas Doty and his wife Carol of Florence, South Carolina, as well as by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Dr. Doty was preceded by his parents and step-mother, Henrietta Dixon Doty.
Friends may call from noon to 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 20, 2008 at the Union Avenue United Methodist Church, 1843 S. Union Ave., Alliance, Ohio. A Memorial Service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. at the church with the Rev. Dr. Neal Malicky and the Rev. John L. Ferris officiating. Interment will follow at the Grandview Cemetery in Salem, Ohio.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mount Union College, Alliance, Ohio, or to Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas 66006.
Arrangements are by Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home, Alliance, Ohio.