Richard Allen Doll

Richard (Dick) was born July 10, 1930 in San Diego, California to Edward and Evelyn Doll. 

  Shortly after his birth his family moved to Palm City (San Diego South Bay) where he was raised with his four brothers and sister. He attended school in Chula Vista and graduated from Chula Vista High School in 1948. During his time in high school, Dick participated in multiple team sports, played trumpet in the high school band and discovered his life-long passion for “all things aviation and flying”. By the time he was in his junior year of high school he had accumulated enough flight time to test for his pilot’s license and on his sixteenth birthday he celebrated becoming the youngest certified pilot in California.

  After his graduation from high school, he continued to work in aviation acquiring his instructor and commercial pilot ratings. In 1951, he enlisted in the United States Air Force attending basic training at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas. Upon his graduation from basic training, he was stationed at the Laredo Air Force Base in Laredo Texas where he served until being honorably discharged in 1955. After leaving the Air force, he returned to his hometown, San Diego where he lived the remainder of his Life.

  Upon returning to San Diego, Richard (Dick) returned to his life’s pursuit of a career in aviation. He worked at multiple airports as an instructor and was hired by General Dynamics San Diego to work on their Atlas Rocket Program. In 1958-59 he was hired by Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) and began his thirty-three, year career as a commercial airline pilot. As his career progressed with PSA he ascended to positions of “First Officer”, “Captain” and ultimately “Senior Captain” for the airline. Throughout his lengthy career with PSA and later USAir he met and worked with many pilots and crew members from various other airlines. His most lasting and enduring relationship from his time with the PSA family was a young flight attendant named Judi Ortiz who became the love of his life, wife and partner for over fifty-seven years.         

  In his off-duty time off his passion for anything aviation continued to grow. He built two high performance biplanes, restored and upgraded numerous planes (to many to mention) and was a constant help working with other pilots on their special projects. He flew search and rescue missions for the San Diego Chapter of the Civil Air Patrol, was a member of the Idaho Aviation Foundation (Back Country Pilots) and was a long standing member in the San Diego Chapter of the Quiet Birdmen (QB”s) organization. The pinnacle of his off-duty flying was racing a North American P-51 in the Reno National Air Race Unlimited Division in 1979 and 1980.

  In slower times he enjoyed time with family and friends while golfing, sailing, water and snow skiing, back country camping and fishing “for the elusive trophy bass” in the lakes of San Diego County.

Richard (Dick) passed peacefully Monday morning November 13^th 2023, in the company of his loving wife Judi, son’s Burton, Randy and daughter-in-law Laurel. 

   Richard (Dick) is survived by Judi, his wife of 57 years, his son Randy (Laurel) Doll, his daughter Sheri Doll, and son Burton Doll. He is also survived by his grandson, Matt (Kelly) Doll and their three beautiful children Hayden, Austin and Kaylin.  He is also survived his younger brother William (Bill) Doll and many, nieces and nephews.