John “Duke” W. Doolan III, age 95, a resident of Manitowoc, entered eternal life on Saturday, December 26, 2020 at Aurora Medical Center in Two Rivers.
John was born on April 19, 1925 in Manitowoc to the late John and Mary (Pfeffer) Doolan. He graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1943. John then enlisted in the United States Air Force and received his training as an aerial engineer at Clarion State Teachers College in Pennsylvania. Following his honorable discharge, John attended UW Manitowoc. He married Joan Jagodensky on September 4, 1948 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Manitowoc. In 1947, John became employed by Wisconsin Bell Telephone Company where he worked for 38 years and retired from there as a facility assignment coordinator. He was a member of Telephone Pioneers (where he received the Pioneer of the Year Award in 1990), the Braille Club where he repaired talking books, Golden Kiwanis Club, American Legion Post 88, Manitowoc County Library Board and Friends of the Library, Manitowoc Historical Society, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc Flyers Club, Academy of Model Aeronautics, EAA, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish. John was talented in playing the saxophone and played for many years with numerous local orchestras.
Survivors include John’s wife of 72 years, Joan; son, Tom Doolan, Manitowoc; special nieces, Mary (Bill) Meier and Peggy (Jeff) Seidl; nephew, Philip (Elaine) Fischer; also other relatives and friends. John was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary Doolan; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Max and Verna Jagodinsky; three sisters, Helen Doolan, Margaret (Howard) Fischer, and Florence Doolan; brother-in-law, Richard Ellig; and sister-in-law, Ann Ellig.
Private family funeral services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi on Waldo, 1121 North 14th Street, Manitowoc on Thursday, December 31, 2020. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Jason Blahnik with burial to take place at Evergreen Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com
From John’s wife, Joan: “John was my comfort, best friend, and other half of my heart. He was a loving father, mentor and companion to his son, Tom. He will be sorrowfully missed by all who knew him for his Irish sense of humor, and the twinkle of a true Irishman.”
The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home and Crematory, North 11th and St. Clair streets, Manitowoc is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
