Tommy Doyle Ivey

Tommy Doyle Ivey, 80, was born on February 10, 1944, in Crockett, Texas to parents, Ernest Freeman and Ethel Alvin (Starns) Ivey, and passed away on October 27, 2024, at his home in Midway, Texas.

There are many ways to describe Tommy Doyle Ivey. He was a very loving and devoted husband to his wife Connie for nearly forty-seven years and loved her with every ounce of his being. Right up until his last breath they were inseparable. He was a wonderful and supportive father to his eight children and a very loving grandfather to thirty grandchildren and a great-grandfather to thirteen more. He was also an amazing brother, uncle, and friend to all he met.

He was a truck driver by trade for much of his life, but that was just to pay the bills. It is difficult to narrow down his hobbies and talents because he was great at so many things. One of his great loves was bull riding. Even at eighty he said that he wished he could get on a bull just one more time. We had to convince him that was probably not the best idea.

From a very young age he was an avid coon hunter. Something he learned from his own father. And he loved it more than anything. If there was ever a free moment in his busy life you can bet he was spending it with his dogs and treeing coons. Connie told us a story about when they first got together, she went and bought a big dog collar to wear. Don't worry! This isn't getting dirty! She tied herself to the porch and howled like the dogs to get him to give her some of the attention he gave the dogs. I think just about everyone that knew him can tell a story about him related to hunting or coon dogs.

He was always busy doing something, bringing treasures home that needed to be fixed, and you could usually find him piddling in something in the yard, or in the shed tinkering with something. He was a Fred Sanford of sorts with piles of projects here and there that would never be finished. He was the king of "do it yourself" and if he couldn't get it to work the proper way, he would make it work his way. To be politically correct we'll just say he "Doyle-ified" it.

He was hardheaded and had a temper that he'd unleash on you if you deserved it. He even had a patch of hair on the back of his head affectionately referred to as "the rooster tail" that would undoubtedly stand up when he was really mad about. If you saw that you knew without a doubt someone was on his fighting side.

But despite the temper, he most definitely had a soft spot for children and babies. And boy did the babies light him up. He was attentive, patient, and eager to entertain, especially with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If there was a baby around, you can bet he was right there doing the spoiling.

Another wonderful thing about him was that he was a devoted and faithful lover of the Lord. In his last few months, he was faced with a lot of health problems, but his faith never wavered. Anytime someone would speak to him about his troubles he would just proudly show them his bracelet that said, "I can't help but testify" and tell them that he was in God's hands. I know he did not want to leave us, but we know he was not afraid. He said he knew where he was going and when it was his time, he'd be glad to go there. He spent the last Sunday he had on this earth singing and praising Jesus and re-dedicated himself to the Lord.

There is not enough room on this page, nor will there be time in the service to list all the wonderful things to be said about the man that Tommy Doyle Ivey was, but he was a great storyteller so I hope everyone will share their stories about him. As much as he loved his family, we loved him more. We love you forever.

A time of visitation is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, October 30, 2024, from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. in the chapel at the Madisonville Funeral Home. A funeral service honoring Tommy's life will be held the following afternoon on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at Harvest Church in Crockett, Texas at 2 P.M. Dennis Ivey will officiate the service, and burial will take place in the Elwood Cemetery.

Doyle was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Matthew; and three sisters, Marie, Dobber and Alene.

Those left to cherish Doyle's memory are his faithful and loving wife of forty-six years, Connie; sons, Ernest Ivey (Samantha), Jason Ivey (Christa), Dallas Ivey (Shenah) and Joshua Ivey (Jennifer); daughters, Leah Drury, Sharla Stott and Fayelynn Cobb (David); brothers Sam Ivey (LelaNell) and Dennis Ivey (Carolyn); sisters, Adna Hawthorne and Martha Bryan; thirty grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren and countless other nieces, nephews, extended family and loving friends.

Final arrangements for Doyle Ivey are under the compassionate care and direction of Madisonville Funeral Home, Madisonville, Texas.