Doyle Finley Lawrence was born April 15, 1939, in Melbourne, Arkansas, to Eugene Alvis Lawrence, Jr and Verna Lee (Finley) Lawrence. Doyle graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1957 and traveled the US working construction. Not realizing he had been listed as a draft dodger – no cell phones back then – he was arrested in Fort Smith and reported for military service, serving in Korea from 1961 till 1963.
Afterward, he hit the road again, working at the Mercury test sites where he learned how to dig miles-long tunnels with an accuracy of a quarter inch in Nevada and in other places like New Orleans, California, and Washington. A lucky win in Vegas afforded him a snazzy red Corvette, which he totaled in a near-fatal wreck, landing him in a Jacksonville nursing home. There he met the love of his life, Laurel Ann Woods, who nursed him back to health and stole his heart along the way —he stole her common sense. He was a charmer when he needed to be. They were married in 1970 and relocated to Paragould.
Doyle earned a B.S. in Agriculture from ASU and began teaching agriculture at Green County Tech, Rector, and Bay from 1973 to 1984. He spent decades warmed by the wood stove his students built for him — a daily reminder that a good teacher’s impact burns long after the lessons are over. Along the way, he also became a Master Plumber, HVAC technician, and skilled carpenter. His handcrafted furniture pieces were treasured by many. Though he and Laurel eventually divorced, he never stopped loving her and slept with her picture by his bedside.
Doyle moved back to Izard County in the mid-90s and proceeded to make many friends and enemies, depending on the day and who was driving down “his” road. He was of the Baptist faith and a 32nd-degree Freemason. He departed this life on July 14, 2025, at 86 years, after a three-year battle with cancer, which he fought his way.
Doyle is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Don Estes Lawrence, nephew Don Eugene Lawrence (Davonda), and his ex-wife, Laurel. He is survived by niece Julie Stinnett (James) of Belle, MO and niece Stacy Gunderman (Tony) of Batesville, AR, great nieces and nephews Mandy Brokaw, Jeremy Lawrence (Emily), Jordon Lawrence (Stephanie), Morgan Weaver, Will Weaver (Megan), Lauren Gunderman (Will Crawford), Anthony Gunderman (Christina), and Ben Gunderman and several great-great and great-great-great nieces and nephews.
Uncle Doyle requested no funeral service or obituary – so naturally, we wrote one anyway. He will be laid to rest in Finley Creek Cemetery. Special thanks to his close friends for checking in on him and the healthcare teams at Gentiva Hospice and The Springs Nursing and Rehab in Batesville for their excellent care.
Arrangements by Qualls Funeral Homes.
