Thomas Wayne Dovel passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2020. Tom was born June 6, 1949 to Willard and Ruth Dovel in Harrisonburg Virginia. Throughout his lifetime, he never lost a fond and earnest attachment to Harrisonburg and the Shenandoah Valley.

Tom attended Rockingham County Schools and played football at Turner Ashby High School where he graduated in 1967. He continued playing football and added field events to his athletic range at Bridgewater College where he graduated in 1971. At James Madison University, he obtained a Master's Degree in Education.

He began working at Stone-Robinson Elementary School in 1972, where he taught physical education for 35 years and met Connie, the love of his life and partner of 47 years. He was fortunate and grateful to work with one of his best friends, Patsy Reardon, and together they fostered a positive community for the children they dedicated their careers to educating and encouraging. Always a hard worker, he also held part time jobs and kept up with one of his greatest joys, joining the football coaching staff at Albemarle High School. His love of football earned him the nickname Touchdown, an affectionate play on his initials. Even during the lean years, he remained a loyal Redskins fan.

Equally comfortable in a weight room or pollinating flowers, he loved the natural world and spent hours in the summers tending his gardens and hybridizing daylilies. He registered 12 cultivars with the American Daylily Society, each named to honor a person or place with special significance to him.

In retirement he didn't slow down, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and working a few jobs, most notably at Southern States where he found real friendships with staff members and customers. Creative and curious, he enjoyed photography, cooking, reading books about football, sketching and a daily appointment with the newspaper.

Tom was unwavering in his commitment to leave every place better than he found it and this world was no exception. Teaching by example, he also showed his children how to be adults who value decency, kindness, humility and moral integrity. He was endlessly proud of his family. Visits with his granddaughter brought him a lot of happiness. He shaved a year old beard out of concern that he was too scary-looking for her with it. He never missed a chance to spend quiet moments with his wife; in the garden, by the lake, on the porch swing or watching a classic movie. His favorite foods were bacon, pulled pork, potatoes, hamburgers, beets, peanut butter and over-cooked green beans (with bacon.) He famously ate his french fries with a load of black pepper and a napkin over them because once they got cold they were only good for feeding the chickens. He liked to watch his shows in the evening, a blend of Turner Classic Movies, Salvage Dawgs, American Pickers and a carefully curated selection of sitcoms. He loved his dogs and chickens, even when they failed to provide his perfect breakfast food. He was a collector of meaningful t-shirts, brewery paraphernalia, recipes, plants and power tools. He kept a hidden cache of perfect gifts for his wife ready for months of occasions but never seemed to know what to ask for himself until a day or two before his birthday. Always up for a good day trip, he liked the ride and seeing the sights as least as much as wherever he ended up. Anyone going with him would get a friendly knee squeeze and a "thanks for coming with me" on the way home. He was funny; with a distinctive, contagious laugh and a penchant for cracking jokes. He did not suffer trivialities, preferring to use his trademark dry wit sense of humor to bring laughter to both happy and heavy moments. Regularly he donated blood plasma and was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to once he began treatment. He was a good man, selfless, loveable, tough and gentle, one of a kind. He showed those of us who were privileged to love him the extraordinary potential of a simple human heart.

Tom is predeceased by his parents; his brother, Gary; and his sister-in-law, Martha. He is survived by his wife, the adoring "sunshine of his life," his "blue sky," Constance Miller Dovel of Charlottesville; children, Cassandra, Nicholas (Kendall) and Elizabeth; granddaughter, Eleanor; brother, Warren (Sharon); brother-in-law, Don Miller; nieces and nephews, Julie (Allen) Paul, Eric and Scott Dovel and Fawn Turner. How lucky we were to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Tom's favorite charity, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.teaguefuneralservice.com.

Submitted by Allen Carver.