Doyle Rathel, 82 years old, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. He was born in Tampa, Florida, and after high school he served four years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. After basic training and two communications schools, he was given a top secret and Atom Data Energy clearance and was assigned to Castle AFB, Merced, CA. He worked in the department handling all top secret messages for the base, and Doyle worked his way up to non-commissioned officer in charge of the department. He was also a member of the four-man strategic air command control team with stations in Hawaii and Newfoundland, and he traveled between the two to assist with the transfer of bombers to Europe and the Pacific. After the Air Force, Doyle attended the University of Florida in Gainesville before moving to Miami, FL, Glendale, CA, and Levittown, PA. In 1965, Doyle moved to Jacksonville, FL, where he would live for the remainder of his life. Doyle went on to work for Equicredit Corp. which later became part of Bank of America, ending his career after 30 years with the title of Senior Vice President of Audit, Quality Control and Loan Verification. Doyle and his wife Joyce enjoyed traveling and visited all 50 states. He also traveled to 19 foreign countries, embarked on 22 cruises, and took part in 19 bus tours. For 28 years they held season tickets to Gator football games and attended many out-of-town games, including all four national championship games Florida played in. Doyle was a member of Deermeadows Baptist Church and a former member of First Baptist Church downtown where he served as Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, and BTU worker. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Janet Rathel, his mother and father, Ethel and J. K. Rathel, and a brother, Cecil Rathel. Doyle is survived by his loving wife Joyce of 61 years; sons, Douglas (Robyn) and Steven Rathel; 5 grandchildren, Josh (Ashley) Rathel, Danny (Sara) Rathel, Matt (Brittany) Rathel, Stephanie (Joe) Earnhardt and Scott Bowen; 3 great-grandchildren, Dakotah Rathel , Alex Earnhardt and Caleb Rathel; a brother, Harvey (Bettie) Rathel and a sister-in-law, Hazel Rathel. Funeral services will be held at 11:00am Saturday, in Deermeadows Baptist Church, with Rev. Bill Carmichael officiating. Burial will follow in Oaklawn Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of George H. Hewell and Son Funeral Home, 4140 University Boulevard, South..IntermentSaturday, November 8, 2014 Oaklawn Cemetery4801 San Jose Blvd.Jacksonville, FL 32207FuneralSaturday, November 8, 201411:00 AM Deermeadows Baptist Church9780 Baymeadows RoadJacksonville, FL 322564140 University Blvd S Jacksonville, FL 32216 f: 904-739-81594747 Main St N Jacksonville, FL 32206 f: 904-353-0763