GUILFORD – Alton Bailey Doyle, 84 of Guilford, lost his battle with cancer on Aug. 29, 2009.
Al was born in Syracuse on Feb. 19, 1925 to Frank Cooley and Josephine (Bailey) Doyle. He was a graduate of Elmira Free Academy and Springfield College (MA) and served in the United States Navy on the USS Chepachet AO78 during World War II.
He was a coach of numerous sports and athletic director at Oxford Academy and Central School from 1950-1971, appointed Oxford School District Director of Public Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1957. At Oxford he was the head coach of Varsity Football for 16 years, basketball for 8 years, baseball for 20 years, track and field for 8 years, and varsity wrestling for one year and JV wrestling for 3 years. Al was instrumental in reinstituting the interscholastic wrestling program at Oxford Academy. He was also the founding force of the Clyde Cole Wrestling Tournament, New York State’s second oldest high school wrestling tournament. During his career at Oxford, “Coach” Doyle was at the helm of two League Championship football teams, Susquehanna League Champions in 1953 and Pioneer League Champions in 1963.
Al was proudly affiliated with the New York State Public High School Athletic Association for many years, first as State Football Coordinator (1967-1971) as Field Representative (1971-1975), and becoming the Association’s first Executive Director in 1975, a position from which he retired in 1990. He was inducted into the NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame in its inaugural year, 2003. He was a member of the NYS Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Elmira Sports Hall of Fame, Section 4 Athletic Council Hall of Fame and was recently notified of his induction into the Springfield College Hall of Fame. During his career in athletic administration he served as President of the NYS Federation of Secondary School Athletic Associations (1981-1983), served on the Executive Committee of the National Federation of State High School Associations (1980-1983), as its president in 1982-1983; was chairman of the National Federation Competition Committee 1987-2000, and a member of the Empire State Games Advisory Committee. He was and Oxford/Delmar Rotarian, a member of Oxford Lodge #175 F&AM, a member of the Oxford Police Department, a Sergeant in the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department and Captain of the Oxford Emergency Squad.
After his retirement as an athletic administrator, always the politician, al began a new career in public service – first as Guilford Town Justice, and for many years, until his death, as Guilford Town Supervisor. He was an active member of the Chenango County Board of Supervisors. In 2009 he was honored with the Chenango County Liberty Bell Award for his life-long service to his community.
Al was married to Nancy Jane Kinne of Penn Yan in 1948, losing her to cancer in 2000. He is survived by his two daughters, Barbara Jo Hennessey of Nassau, and Katharine Ann Miller of Horseheads; his two sons in law, David G. Hennessey and Charles H. Miller; four grandchildren, Corey Stephen Wessels of Castleton, Jennifer Virginia Sacci of East Greenbush, Ryan Joseph Miller of Philadelphia, Pa., and Joseph Alton Miller of Ocean Grove, N.J.; and three great granddaughters, Brianna Taylor Bujak and Mallory Katharine Paschall of East Greenbush and soon-to-be Ella Grace Wessels of Castleton.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 32 Main St., Oxford, with rector, the Rev. Ralph Osborne, officiating. Burial with full military honors will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery, Guilford.
Friends may call at the Behe Funeral Home, 21 Main Street, Oxford, on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Oxford Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 192, Oxford, NY 13830 for an athletic scholarship.