Lyle Doty

Carlyle (Lyle) Wayne Doty was born in Stanley, North Dakota on November 3, 1937 to Irene Doty and the late Chauncey Doty who tragically drowned in June of 1937. In 1940 Irene followed her family to the Flathead Valley where Lyle and his older brother Gene were raised.

His childhood was filled with hard work but good times. Many stories were shared of the chaos he and his buddies Jimmy Hanson, Charlie Clark, Norm Wendt and Kenny Krueger caused in the West Valley. He was a proud member of the Flathead High School class of 1956 and never missed a reunion that Patty Slack helped organize. Rehashing old stories always brought on laughter and outed a few embarrassing moments like him driving his brand new 1956 Chevy into McWinnegars Slough or the knife fight he got into at Charlies’ Beer Depot “after one too many sippies”

Lyle was drafted in 1958 into the US Army and after training on various bases around the US, he eventually was sent to Korea. While he was in Korea he was recruited to play football for the Army and loved every game he played in. When he came back to Montana he started working in the woods and did everything from sawyer to skidding to loading logs. He eventually settled into log trucking and started Lyle Doty Trucking in 1977. His logging career gave him lifetime friendships with many including Bob Krause, and Jim and John Slack. He was passionate about the timber industry and worked hard to advocate for fair rates for the log haulers. Lyle hauled logs in the Flathead for 45 years retiring and selling out to move over to Conrad. There, he bought a house and 25 acres with nothing but wheat fields surrounding him. He lived there until his passing on August 7, 2025.

He met and married Sharon Cone after meeting her in front of Mooses Saloon while pouring beer to anyone who drove by that Friday night. She was cruising main with her girlfriends and stopped to get a drink from the guy sitting on a bar stool in the middle of the street. Together they raised 3 girls in the Flathead Valley.

Lyle loved living on “the farm” and following the business of farming from seeding to harvest to the price of grain. The best gift he ever received was an idea from friend and neighbor Johnny Younce who suggested we get him a weather station. He was in heaven! Daily weather reports were a given whenever he would call. He and his pal George Wood talked farming and often compared rain gauge readings and snowfall amounts. Talking weather was the highlight of his day…several times a day!

Coffee and conversation were a must. From the Husky Truck Stop to Cislos in Kalispell, to the Home Café in Conrad he loved visiting around a table of buddies and solving the world’s problems, especially politics. He looked forward to the news and even though he was retired, he made sure to set an alarm so he could catch the 6 am news each day with 2 cookies, a cup of coffee.

Lyle had a huge heart for animals and rarely went without a dog or cat in his lap or at his feet getting cookies bites. The dogs started to become his constant companions while logging and he never really left home without a Schnauzer in the front seat with him.

Trap Shooting and gun collections played a big part in his life. Chasing clay pigeons all over Montana kept him busy. One of his last wins at a registered shoot, he won the Senior Division in Havre shooting a near perfect 99/100 birds. He continued to shoot trap until he was 85 years old with the encouragement of friends Ted and Jon Kronebusch. He was a lifetime member of both the Flathead Valley Clay Target Club and the Pondera Shooting Sports Complex. He was always generous in funding young shooters in Conrad.

But above all else, his grandsons were his pride and joy. He so enjoyed watching Brock and Mark play sports and always had words of advise on their games. He was honored to walk out with them on Senior Night for their football games. He was so proud of them both and the men they have grown to become because of his influence and hand in raising them. He loved those boys!

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gene and a lifetime of beloved animals.

He is survived by his 3 daughters, Laurie (Lisa) from Granbury, Texas Carrie from Conrad and Pam (Jeff) from Granbury Texas, his 2 grandsons Brock from Fort Worth, Texas and Mark from Dillon/Conrad, his niece and nephews, along with many cousins from the Sorenson side. Family was very important to him and taking care of us was his focus in life. He wasn’t an affectionate kind of guy but made up for it in his actions and gifts. He was a generous man, dearly loved and will be missed by all.

Per his request there will be no services “I don’t need anyone fussing over me.” In his memory please enjoy 2 cookies and a cup of coffee!

Military Honors will be at a later date.