JR. DUDLEY "SONNY" DOOLITTLE

DUDLEY "SONNY" DOOLITTLE, JR.

Strong City Dateline Dudley "Sonny" Doolittle, age 83, died Thursday, December 24, 2009, at Newman Regional Health in Emporia, KS. A celebration of life service will be held Thursday, December 31, 2009, at 2:00 P.M., at the Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home with Pastor Rick Smith officiating. Military honors, by a Fort Riley Honor Guard, will follow the service on the front lawn of the funeral home. He will be cremated after the service. Dudley Doolittle,Jr., the son of Dudley and Zula Zon McQuillen Doolittle, Sr., was born May 23, 1926, in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended school in the Kansas City area and graduated from Kemper Military School in Kansas City, Kansas. In his early years, he helped his Dad, who was a U.S. Congressman in Washington for six years, on the campaign trail. He, also, had "traveling road shows" in small towns on the weekends. He served in the United States Army and was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. He and Dorothy Marie Deitrich were married November 29, 1951, in Emporia, KS. She survives. He attended radio school in Kansas City and was an active ham radio operator most of his life. He owned and operated the Uptown Theater in Strong City, KS. and the Lyric Theater in Cottonwood Falls, KS. He leased theaters in Marion, Council Grove, and Emporia, KS. He had been in real estate, farm management, and owned several rental properties. He was a member of and served as Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #9728 and was a member of the Russell Blackburn American Legion, both in Strong City. He was a presbyterian. He is survived by his wife of the home; a son, Dwight Doolittle of El Dorado, KS.; a daughter, Gina Doolittle Hayes of Strong City, KS., and five grandchildren: Amy Beaman, Heather Andrews, Hannah Doolittle, Jason Passmore, and Nathan Passmore; two great grandchildren: Alyssa Beaman and Braden Andrews. He was preceded in death by his son, Dudley Doolittle, III, a sister, Beverly Rath, and his parents. There will be no formal family visitation. Friends may call at the funeral home, Tuesday, noon until 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, 9:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M., and Thursday, 9:00 A.M. until service time. Memorial contributions to the Uptown Theater Restoration Fund may be sent in care of the funeral home, 201 Cherry, Cottonwood Falls, KS. 66845. Messages to the family may be left at www.brown-bennett-alexander.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of JR. DUDLEY "SONNY" DOOLITTLE, please visit our floral store.