Thomas Joseph Doyle

Thomas “Tom” Joseph Doyle passed away peacefully at home in Weaverville, North Carolina on February 19, 2026.  He was born March 5, 1948, son of Walter William Doyle and Marie Ann Smith in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was preceded in death by his mother (d. 1989) and father (d. 1966).

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Sandra; his sister, Patricia Doyle of Arizona; brother, Edward Doyle of North Carolina, and numerous nieces and nephews throughout the United States. 

Tom received his Eagle Scout Award in 1963 while attending Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Out of high school, he attended a technical college where he studied drafting and design and was then hired by General Electric and worked in projects such as nuclear submarines. Tom was drafted into the military and served in the US Army from 1968-1970 in Southeast Asia and Vietnam as a combat engineer. After finishing military service, Tom served in the Peace Corps from 1972-1975 in Malaysia, Uganda, Swaziland and Afghanistan. While in the Peace Corp, he taught drafting at Kabul University and studied encampment architecture of the nomadic Koochi tribes.  He attended The University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, then completed his education at the University of North Carolina Asheville in 1981 with a degree in International Relations. Tom contributed to several major projects in the Asheville area, including the UNC-Asheville Graduate Center and the North Carolina Arboretum Education Building, as well as various churches, schools, and private residences.

Tom’s love of adventure throughout his life found him seeking thrills in the outdoors. During Tom’s life, he was an avid bicyclist as his means of transportation to work and later with mountain biking. Whitewater kayaking all over rivers of the Eastern US brought great joy. Tom combined his interest in photography with his love for travel. He gathered personal photos from Costa Rica, Barcelona, Galapagos Islands, British Virgin Islands, Alaska, Thailand, Singapore, Bali and the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, along with numerous US National Parks.

Starting in 1989, his passion for Labrador retrievers (who all needed jobs) led to training them as service animals. He and his wife, Sandra, were part of the North Carolina Search and Rescue Dog Team in Western North Carolina. Later they trained their dogs as therapy animals at UNC-Asheville and Care Partners Rehabilitation facilities.

The family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses and support groups at the VA Hospital of Asheville for all their help during the last years of Tom’s life. 

Private services with family will take place in the future. 

In lieu of flowers family would prefer donations in his memory be given to MANNA FoodBank of Asheville or Brother Wolf Animal Rescue of Asheville.

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