Albert W. “Al” Dohring - Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory

Albert W. “Al” Dohring

July 25, 1940 - August 18, 2019

          Albert W. “Al” Dohring, age 79, of Middletown, DE, passed away on Sunday, August 18, 2019.

          Born in Kent General Hospital, on July 25, 1940, he was a son of the late Nancy Ann (Warren) Dohring and Daniel William Dohring Sr.  Al had an accomplished aviation career spanning over many years and titles.  He served in the Delaware Air National Guard for more than 39 years, most recently as the Environmental Manager with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant.  Al holds numerous licenses and type ratings, most proudly as a private flight instructor.  For the last 16 years, he worked for the Delaware River and Bay Authority in Airport Operations.  He had a passion for flying and boating.  Al’s fondest memories made were the times spent with his family.

          He is survived by his wife, Barbara A. Dohring; son, Derek D. Dohring of Middletown; and siblings, Daniel William Dohring Jr., Virginia (Dohring) Astfalk and Kathleen (Dohring) Boyd.

          A visitation for family and friends will be held from 9 am until 11 am on Saturday, August 24, 2019, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 275 East Main Street, Middletown, DE, where a funeral service will begin at 11 am.  Interment will follow in St. Georges Cemetery, Kirkwood-St. Georges Road, St. Georges, DE.

          In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Al’s memory to the Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.

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33 Condolences for Albert W. “Al” Dohring

  • Barbara sending our deepest sympathy to you & the family. May he rest in peace!

    Thinking of you,

    Dan & Louisa

  • Dearest Barbara,
    May you find peace in knowing that the passion he had for all that he loved, will continue on as you look to the skies for comfort. He now has wings of diamond, and will be watching from above. You are in my thoughts, my prayers, and forever in my heart.
    PB

  • Deepest condolences to you and your family Derek. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers

  • I was extremely saddened to hear of Al’s passing. He was a member of my CE unit when I started in 1985 and was our units First Sergeant and Chief. I hold many fond memories of Al. He was a great Airman, a great mentor and even greater friend.
    I went on many deployments with Al, the one I remember most was the one to Honduras. I was fond of straw cowboy hats and attempted to wear one on the job site. The Army however had a different opinion…Al took me aside and told me he didn’t have a problem with it but should probably put it away when the Army was around and go ahead and wear it when they left. (He always had a way of caring for his fellow Airman). When we returned to our Unit, Al called me to the front of formation and presented me with an OSHA approved cowboy hard hat and told me it was approved by him to wear on base! I still have that hat and will cherish it for as long as I live. I’ll miss not seeing Al on occasion either at WAWA or around the base in his DRBA vehicle. Know that I will keep his family in my prayers. May God comfort you all in the days to come.
    Randy

  • “Eternal rest grant unto Al O’Lord, and let perpetual light forever shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Divine Mercy of Almighty God rest in peace.”

    I will miss you but have tons of memories from the Guard days.
    Larry

  • AL HAD THE HANGER RIGHT NEXT TO ME ON WEST T. ALWAYS OFFERING GREAT ADVISE AND A HELPING HAND.
    A GOOD FRIEND AND A GENTLEMAN. HE WILL BE MISSED.

    PAUL AND LINDA KATZ
    CHESAPEAKE CITY, MD

  • Known AL many years RIP Chief one of the best.

  • Barb
    Words can’t express how sorry I am. Albert was such a loved man at the airport especially with his coworkers. He will be dearly missed. He always said my “bride” as he referred to you his love. Thanks Albert for making work a pleasure and always taking care of everyone. Rest easy friend.

  • I will always remember our flights together. Your knowledge and skill of flying will stick with me forever.

  • RIP Chief Dohring!
    You will be remembered fondly always.
    I first met Al in August 1979 after visiting the 166th Security police and Chief Keller in the fire house in order to find a “home” in the ANG. 1st Sgt Dohring took me around the Civil Engineering Squadron and asked me to join the unit. He was very persuasive and the next 28 years went by in a flash. Al was my first mentor and was instrumental in guiding me and many others into a successful career. In fact I may not have achieved Chief Master Sergeant with out his guidance. His calm demeanor and sense of humor guided us through many difficult times. Our colleague Helen Grubb said it best in her interview today referencing Al’s calmness through adversity.
    May God rest your soul and put His blessings on Al’s family.

  • In my 21 years of service in the DANG, Al was undoubtedly the MOST ultimate professional in upholding the values of the USAF!! Thanks Al for the extremely high bar that you set. Paul from Monument, CO.

  • My deepest sympathy to you Barb and your family. R.I.P. Chief…

  • To the Dohring family..
    Deepest sympathy during this time of sadness. I had the pleasure of working with “Chief” at both the Guard and DRBA. We also shared many
    flying stories, and he would quietly mentor as I accomplished my own flying goals. Al was always a true professional. bk

  • Dear Barbara and Derek,
    Please accept our deepest sympathy in the passing of Al. We have many fond memories that we’ll hold on to forever. God Bless you all and stay strong.
    Butch & Barbara

  • So sorry for the mishap you will be missed

  • God Bless you and your family Al. You will be missed by your working family!

  • My Condolences to the Dohring family, I will miss talking to him over the drba phone line.

  • Chief Dohring I hope you will rest in peace. I also hope your family gets some comfort knowing that so many people were influenced by knowing you and the kindness you always showed to others. Please accept my condolence on the loss of your husband, father, brother and sister.

  • All was a pillar of the flying community at the West T hangers. It didn’t matter if he was on duty or off, he offered a solution to whatever airport issue you had. Gate malfunction, hanger door stuck, badge reader failed to let you in- it didn’t matter he treated your problem like it was his. In the right seat he was a great and cautious observer.

    He was a classic gentleman with the ability to see that the rules for the airport and facilities were observed properly. If you were crossing a line he’d point it out and let you know safety came first.
    I’ve been based all over the airport since 1978, I really can’t recall when I first met Al but I can’t imagine I won’t see him on my next trip through the gate

    My heart felt condolences to the
    Family and everyone at ILG who knew and respected Al.

    Herm Bloom N601HB

  • My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Al was a great guy, he always greeted me whenever he saw me at the airport. I enjoyed knowing him and he will be missed tremendously.

    Leon

  • Hi Barb. My deepest sympathy to you and your family. Have not seen you in years but worked with you at DSH. If you need anything, please feel free to let me know.

  • “Hey! It’s Al Dohring at Airfield Ops” is how I started many of my morning shifts in the tower. Words can’t describe how it felt to find out I wouldn’t be getting that call anymore. Going to miss you Al. Prayers for your family and close friends.

    -ER

  • To Barbara and family, Joe and I want to express our sincerest condolences over the passing of Al. Both Joe and I worked with Al at the National Guald. May you find peace and comfort during this difficult time.

  • I worked with AL in a support capacity, for the duration of him tenure with the DRBA, and can honestly say, I never saw him in a foul mood. He was one of the nicest guys I have ever worked with, and he will be greatly missed.

    I would like to send along my heartfelt condolences to his wife and family.

  • Great colleague to work with…. Many good times with the 166th…. I spent 14yrs with Security Forces and Al was ALWAYS on his job at CES…. He’ll Be Missed By A Lot Of People….”Condolences 🙏 💔 Family…..”……… WHALEN,166SF,MSGT(RET)

  • Al was a good friend and superb teacher. Without a doubt, he was the best instructor I ever flew with. In addition to being a good teacher, he was kind and always had time to help others. I learned much from Al and will miss our check-rides together. My Cessna had been his first plane and every flight we took prompted some great stories. Al loved to tell the story that he and Barbara had flown the plane to the Bahamas for their honeymoon. Yes – Al was a great storyteller too! Jeff

  • My deepest condolences to the family. I’ve known Al for many years both in the DE ANG and DRBA. A true professional and great friend. Rest In Peace Al.

    “High Flight”
    By John Gillespie Magee JR

    Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
    And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
    Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
    Of sun-split clouds, –and done a hundred things
    You have not dreamed of –Wheeled and soared and swung
    High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
    I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
    My eager craft through footless halls of air…
    Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
    I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
    Where never lark or even eagle flew —
    And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
    The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
    Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

  • I had the hangar next to Al at KILG – I saw him often both in the hangars, and on the field – he always had a smile and time, encouragement or advice for a fellow pilot. Truly, he’ll be missed.

  • My sincere condolences to Barbara, Derek and the family of Al Dohring during this difficult time. Al was my partner in Cessna N73657 and the camaraderie, aircraft ownership knowledge and maintenance skills I gained by spending so many hours with him in the hangar and in the air, will remain with me forever! I have only Al to thank for the fact that I am a pilot today. I am also a former commissioned officer in the Army National Guard & Reserves and Al is the one who rendered the traditional ‘first salute’ after my graduation from OCS in 1977. It is a moment that officers treasure for eternity, and I am HONORED that Al was a part of it. I sincerely believed that I should have been saluting HIM, and I do that now. Hand Salute Chief! You are flying with the angels now, and are cleared to land on runway 1 in Heaven. Until we meet again………………..

  • Deepest sympathies for you and your family. Al was a wonderful, sweet and funny man that always supported me with the environmental program. God Bless

  • Henry and I are deeply feeling the painful loss of this magnificent man.
    Al was our angel who enabled my father to continue to fly and sail into his nineties.
    We thank God that we had the great fortune to have had him in our lives for so long. Al was a force of nature.

  • Barbara, I am so sorry for your loss. Al was my cousin. Long ago, my mother asked him to take us on a flight. I think I was 12 years old, so Al would have been 28. I remember that day as if it were last week. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the air was crisp. The fields below us waved in the breeze and the cars were so tiny. And thats when I fell in love with aviation. Because of that one flight, I pursued my licenses, and now, retired from careers flying both civilian and military, I still feel the passion of flight. I last saw and spoke with Al when I rented his airplane from Wilmington. Another time, I had an occasion to land a helicopter near a picnic, blowing some things around. I’ve met people throughout the years that were touched by Al’s pleasant manner and wisdom. I’m sorry I didn’t connect with Al recently or meet you and Derek. I suppose I thought I would have many tomorrows. I’m living in upstate NY now, but I want to express my sincere condolences to you and family. I share your grief as he was very special family to me. To Al, clear skies and tailwinds. For once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.

  • Al was a true gentleman and a classy guy. He was a outstanding advisor to me while serving with him at DE ANG. It was an honor serving with him. My heart goes out to his family. God bless his soul.