Ethridge Fulton Doane Jr. 81

HARTLY - Ethridge Fulton Doane Jr. of Hartly was called home by the Lord on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover, after an extended illness, surrounded by his loving family. He was 81.

He was known as "Mr. Ed" by his friends.

Born Sept. 3, 1926, in Oak Park, Ill., Ethridge was the son of the late Lt. Col. Ethridge Fulton Doane and Alice Jones Doane.

Ethridge was also predeceased by his sister, Alice Kriss.

He was in the U.S. Army from October 1943 until he retired on Dec. 31, 1968, and served in combat in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War.

Among the numerous awards and decorations he received were two Bronze Star medals during World War II and one during the Vietnam conflict.

Ethridge was a member of the 158th Regimental Bushmaster Combat Team during World War II, a unit for which he had the utmost pride in serving with.

It was a unit which was the first Army unit to be trained in jungle warfare, the first Army unit to be sent overseas after Pearl Harbor and a unit which traveled farther in their years of active duty than any Army unit in any U.S. war, having traveled from New Orleans to Panama to Australia to New Guinea to New Britain to the Philippines to Japan and the return to the U.S.

He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Evelyn Doane; son, Ethridge F. Doane III and his wife Muriel of Cranford, N.J.; daughter, Evelyn Sandra Hopper and her husband Wayne of Fairfield Township, N.J.; five grandchildren, Dawn Powers of Millville, N.J., David Hopper of Orlando, Fla., Ethridge F. Doane IV of St. Robert, Mo., Fred William Doane of Clementon, N.J., and James Edward Doane of Roselle, N.J.; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Viewing will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday in the First United Methodist Church, 201 N. 2nd St., Millville, N.J., followed by the service.

Interment will be in the Fernwood Cemetery on Shiloh Pike in Hopewell Township.

Instead of flowers, donations can be made to USO at Dover Air Force Base, or to any local USO.

Arrangements by Rocap Shannon Funeral Home, New Jersey.