Ronald Mefferd Doubt

Ronald Mefferd Doubt passed away at home in the company of his wife on December 5, 2024, at the age of 83. Ronald was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, on June 10, 1941, to Ralph A. Doubt and Lillie (Whiteturkey) Doubt. He was the oldest of three children and came into the world remarkably inquisitive and resourceful. As a young child, he took doorknobs off in his parents' house and turned them around, simply because he had a screwdriver and wanted to use it. He took apart his mother's sewing machine, his tricycle, and later his bike and put them all back together just to see how they worked.
When he was nine, he wanted his own income and applied to deliver papers without telling his parents. Even though carriers were supposed to be ten, the manager of the Bartlesville Record was having difficulty finding people for the early routes, so Ronald was employed. His family lived for two years in Ramona, and then his father built a home in Osage County on the bank of Buck Creek. Ron helped to build the house, and the family moved in when he was finishing high school at College High. He graduated high school in 1959 and enrolled at Oklahoma State University as a math major.
At OSU, he got his pilot's license and occasionally flew fill-in for the University Flight Service. In 1964 he enlisted in the Army, completing basic training at Fort Lee in Louisiana, then serving at Fort Benjamin Harrison as a programmer/analyst for the Adjutant General Corps. He was honorably discharged in 1966. From 1967 to 1969, he worked for Colorado Blue Cross-Blue Shield as a systems analyst specializing in risk assessment. While in Colorado, he obtained his commercial pilot's license and flew freight for Frontier Airlines as a part-time pilot. He grew tired of city life in Denver and moved back to Oklahoma, taking a job at Oklahoma State University as a management information specialist for the Extension Service.
In 1974, Ron quit working for OSU and started a new life. He married Connie and focused on raising their family instead of crunching numbers. He bought 15 acres from his dad, and in 1976, he began clearing land to build a house of his own design. He and Connie worked side-by-side; he built, while she painted and decorated. The family moved into their new house in July, 1977. Ron built a second house on the property for his mother-in-law, Era Raney, who moved in September, 1980. He also built a metal shop and a wood shop on the property. At the same time, he helped his dad remodel his childhood home.
In 1990, he started a job with Strike Axe Non-Profit Water Company as manager/operator. In 2008, his son, Paul, took over as operator, and Ron continued as manager until his passing.
In his late 70's, Ronald reroofed his house and began on the metal shop roof before being restricted by family and requiring a pacemaker. Although his labor-intensive days ended as his body aged, his mind never stopped seeing potential for new projects. When the water company lost their bookkeeper, Ron took over the billing, designing a system that allowed the work to proceed efficiently and accurately. The day before his passing, he was working on billing while also recovering from heart valve replacement surgery.
He enjoyed helping his granddaughter Sofie learn to drive. He and Connie began playing Liverpool Rummy with their friends, Gene and Phyllis Sturm, and within a few years, the whole family played. It was a common activity for a Sunday visit or at the end of a holiday get-together. He endured his wife's love of football and appreciated the wealth of information on YouTube. Ronald was a member of Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and he enjoyed Sunday morning services online. He and Connie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on November 26, 2024.
Ronald is survived by his wife, Connie Doubt, and his two children, Angela Ellis and Paul Doubt, their spouses, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren; his sister Joan and brother-in-law Gary; four nieces and one nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother.