John Henry Doscher

John Henry Doscher, 79, devoted husband of his cherished wife Donna, lost his courageous battle with cancer late Friday evening, December 26, 2014 at his Summerville residence. His final moments were attended by members of his large family. A visitation will be held at James A. Dyal Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 from 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock PM. Memorial services with military honors will be on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at 11 o’clock AM at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church located at 206 Central Avenue, Summerville. John was born on November 19, 1935 in Charleston. He was the oldest son of the late John Henry Doscher, Sr. and the late Thelma Bullwinkle Doscher. A graduate of Chicora High School, John attended the University of South Carolina and earned his degree in Geology in 1958. In 1968 he would add a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico while based on that island in the military. Still later he would add a second Master’s in Education earned from The Citadel in downtown Charleston. On July 27, 1957 John married his college sweetheart, Donna, who accepted his proposal of marriage on their third date. Perhaps they knew even then that an extraordinary journey through life was about to unfold but no one could then imagine the heights – and depths – their voyage would reveal. Their life together was special, as it thrived 56 years on this Earth through all the ordinary challenges life brings but also endured the birth and growth of three children, home purchases and relocations, business ventures, multiple hurricanes, military conflict, children’s weddings, “harrowing” light aircraft flights and the arrivals of grandchildren – and great-grandchildren. Immediately after college, John followed his dream of aviation into the Air Force, earning his wings as a navigator in 1959. First assigned to Charleston Air Force Base as a crewman aboard the stately Lockheed C-121 Constellation, John reveled in the simple joy navigators share in telling pilots exactly where to go. His next assignment took him and his young family to Ramey Air Base in Puerto Rico, where he plotted courses aboard special versions of the redoubtable Lockheed C-130 Hercules as specially-trained Hurricane Hunter crews probed the violent air currents inside fully-developed Atlantic hurricanes. After three years there with a young family and with the Vietnam War at its peak, John deployed to Southeast Asia navigating deadly AC-130 Spectre gunships to and from targets often protected by the most advanced air defense system then existing in the world. His patriotism, valor under fire, technical skill and dedication to duty were recognized by higher commanders with the rare award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Home from battles over the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail, John recognized his still-growing family had been uprooted enough. When the chance came to leave the active duty forces to accept an Air Force Reserve position, he and Donna decided together to take the opportunity for family stability to stay in one place – their home town of Charleston. As the children grew, John relied on Donna to run the household while he continued on a course of professional success by earning certification as a middle school science teacher while working as the business manager for Trident Technical College. Before long, he was teaching alongside his librarian wife at Alston Middle School in Summerville. Still passionate about aviation, John spent a lot of precious non-working time flying with the Air Force Reserves at Charleston Air Force Base – now aboard the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. Even so, he somehow found time to pursue his dream to fly as a pilot of his own light plane – a dream long before denied him due to vision short of the standards the Air Force demanded of pilots. He loved taking family members and even some of his deserving students into the air, but Donna abruptly decided she could no longer share this particular passion with him during a refueling stop on a long cross-country journey. A very windy day, she refused to take off into the rough ride she knew was just overhead and opted to rent a car for the rest of her return home. Airport onlookers were left to speculate what sort of pilot he must be to have his lady friend staunchly refuse to fly with him! Undefeated and never the shrinking-violet type, John simply continued the pursuit of perfecting his aviation hobby until shortly before his death. John spent his entire adult life singularly devoted to the love of his life, his best friend and closest confidant through times good and bad – his wife, Donna. After 56 years of marriage, he lost much of his zest for life when death took her from him less than two years ago. Part of his profound courage in facing cancer derived from knowing he would be rejoined with her whenever he ultimately lost this unwinnable fight. His family aches deeply at his loss so soon after hers, but take great comfort knowing the two are together again as their lives proved they should be. John will be missed terribly by his large family and his many friends … but we rejoice in the memories built with him at their core. Godspeed, Colonel John Doscher … and well done! John is preceded in death by his wife, Donna and his brother, Harold. He is survived by their son Charlie H. Doscher (Kiki); daughter Deborah L. Doscher (and former son-in-law Steve McCormack); daughter Susan D. McCoy (Brian): 11 grandchildren; Garrett McCoy (Marielle); Nathan McCoy (Amanda); Joshua McCoy (Sarah); Rachel McCoy; Camille McCoy; Mitchell McCoy; Olivia Doscher; Hayden Doscher; Grace Doscher; Dylan McCormack; Maggie McCormack: 10 great-grandchildren; Lauren, Caitlin, Austin, Reagan, Walker, Hailey, Ethan, Finnegan, Declan and Campbell McCoy. John’s children would like to thank his devoted friends in the Hardees’ gang and the Holly Hill Aviators for all their years of support. Your friendship meant the world to him! In lieu of flowers the family request memorials be made to the charity of one’s choice or the American Cancer Society, 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303. A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jamesadyal.com. ARRANGEMENTS BY JAMES A DYAL FUNERAL HOME, 303 S. MAIN STREET, SUMMERVILLE, SC 29483 (843) 873-4040.

John Henry Doscher

November 19, 1935 - December 26, 2014