Doyle Dean Worley was born to Richard and Iva Worley in Chanute on Nov. 25, 1920. He was the oldest of five siblings: Barbara (deceased), Phyllis, Dale (deceased) and Richard. He met his future wife, Louise Lee Foster, while playing the sousaphone in the Chanute High School band. They were married in July 1941.

Worley went to work at Cessna in 1941, before joining the United States Army Air Corps in 1943. From 1944 through 1945, Worley served as a First Lieutenant in the 86th Fighter Group – the Invaders. He served on more than 60 missions in the Northern Apennines and Germany campaigns flying the P-47 Thunderbolt on missions over the Alps deep into enemy territory.

In 1946, Doyle returned to Cessna where he worked his way up to Chief Test Pilot, flying all Cessna models including the first and last 310 and the first Production Citation 500. He retired from Cessna in 1976 after 35 years and 17,000 flight hours.

Upon retirement, he moved to Salida, Colo., and worked for Greeley Gas. After Louise’s death in January 1988, he met Marge Carroch, who has been his devoted companion for the past 20 years. They moved to their permanent address in Apache Junction in 1995 but traveled extensively throughout the United States to 86th Fighter Group reunions and family reunions and social gatherings with friends.

A beloved father and surrogate grandfather, devoted Broncos fan, expert domino player, model airplane builder, crack crossword puzzler and great joke teller, Worley will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by Marge Carroch, his son Dr. Rick Worley, Denver, Colo., and daughter and son-in-law Bobbie and Dave Chapman, Mill Valley, Calif. Worley is also survived by Carroch’s family, children Nancy, Bobbie June, Lyle and Debbie, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.