History of the Restoration Movement


Doin Pitchford

1921-2008

Biographical Sketch On The Life Of Doin Pitchford

Doin Pitchford was born July 7, 1921 in the Ozark Mountain area of Gainesville, Missouri. His parents were William Allen and Ethel (Luna) Pitchford. He had two sisters, Gail and Norma and one brother, Loyd.


Doin, When A Small Child


L to R - Loyd, Gail, Norma, Doin

The photo above is taken on what is still called “the flat rocks”. It is an area on Caney Creek which runs through the old Pitchford home place of Doin’s parents in Gainesville, MO. Doin’s early days were spent playing on the flat rocks by the creek. This was a place where the weekly washing was done. Also, it was where Doin would take his soap and towel and bathe himself in the cool water.

One day while playing with the neighbor boys, one of them threw an acorn, hitting Doin in the left eye. He lost the sight in it except for peripheral vision. Another time his trusty old dog bit him on the face causing a scar or two. He was just a small child at that time.

Doin loved to fish. When he was a lad, he would fish in Caney Creek with his hands, called “noodling.” He and other boys caught lots of fish that way. One time he was reaching back in a hole and caught a big water moccasin!

He had animal traps set on the way to school. He regularly went by and checked them. Sometimes during cold weather, he would come and warm himself by the old wood stove at school. A skunk smell would fill the house. He must have been happy since their fur sold for a better price than possums and rabbits.

He was a good student and made good grades. He especially liked Arithmetic and Geography. He also liked sports, especially baseball. He had a strong arm and was a good batter.

At home he helped with the chores, later worked at other farms for fifty cents a day. He worked in the hayfields in the summer.

Doin loved to read, mostly the Bible. They didn’t have many other books. He would lie on the floor and read the Bible so much that his mother would say, “I think he will be a preacher.”

Their social life was visiting with neighbors and relatives. His family didn’t attend church services, but Doin and his sisters went to the Luna Church of Christ occasionally. When the Baptist Church was started at the Brushy Knob school building, Doin’s dad and mother joined it, as well as several other members of the Luna and Pitchford families. Doin was about eleven years old at the time. He joined the Baptists too when he was about fourteen but continued to also attend Churches of Christ in the county. He later dated three girls who were members of the Church of Christ.

When he was fourteen, he began attending High School in Gainesville. He met the bus at the highway about a half mile from home, but some times he would walk or run the seven miles to school. He seemed anxious to grow up, so he took a correspondence course, and in three years graduated from Gainesville High School (1939). He began teaching at the two-room school house called Brushy Knob, near his home.

He attended Springfield Teachers’ College one summer session and another at Bolivar Baptist College in Boliver, MO. He taught for two years. While attending Springfield Teacher’s College, he roomed with Marvin Kirkpatrick. He mentioned to Marvin that all girls gave him a pain in the neck. (He had just broken up with some girl). Marvin told him he knew a girl that he thought he would like to date. Her name was Lozell Hamilton. Doin wrote her a letter, and they corresponded some and finally met at a singing convention in Bakersfield.

Lozell was an Ozark County girl, growing up near the now historic Old Dawt Mill near Tecumseh, MO. Her parents, Elmer and Gladys Hamilton, and she and her sister, Jaretty, were members of the Church of Christ there at Dawt, MO.

Elmer, Lozell, and Jaretty were performers in the area. The girls sang, and the three of them played the fiddle and guitars at several conventions, pie suppers, home parties and even a political rally. Doin and Marvin went home with the Hamiltons one afternoon, and thus began the romance of Doin and Lozell. She remembered seeing Doin once before when he had come to Marvin’s home to borrow some school books. He was fourteen, and she was thirteen. She didn’t speak to him, but remembered that he was the cutest boy she had ever seen and had such beautiful blue eyes!

At that time, Doin didn’t have a car so he rode his horse, “Old Pet” to Lozell’s house. One time the old horse threw him into Bryant River.

During the depression, Doin and John didn’t have much money to spend on dates. They occasionally took their girlfriends to a movie and to a restaurant. One afternoon they attended a rodeo in Thayer, coming home with sunburned noses as it was a very hot day. On winter evenings they spent time playing Chinese Checkers. Gladys always had a delicious meal cooked. Cooking was her specialty.

In 1939, Doin bought a 1935 Chevy. He had never driven a car, but bought it and drove it home. (So much for Driver’s Education.) Doin and John Nesbit took turns with their cars, driving over to see the Hamilton girls. John’s car was a 1935 Ford, V8. He was dating Lozell’s sister, Jaretty. They later married in 1940.


Wedding Day

Doin and Lozell married March 1, 1941 at Ava, MO Court House. They spent their honeymoon in Springfield and Bolivar where Doin had attended college, as he wanted to show his bride these places. When they returned to her home on Sunday night, Lozell’s mother had cooked them a fine supper. (Doin especially liked Gladys’ cherry cobbler). Just as they sat down to eat, there was a gunshot at the south of the house and tin pans and bells making a terrible racket near the window where they were eating. About seventy-five neighbors and relatives had come to “chavari” the newlyweds. They brought gifts, quilts, lace table cloths and depression dishes. Doin treated them with candy.

The Pitchford and Hamilton families showed their approval of the young couple. Doin’s mother had encouraged him to either quit his girl or get married before he went broke going to see her so often. Money was hard to come by in those years. Doin’s teacher salary started at $80.00 a month; the second year was $85.00 per month and about $90.00 at the end of school.

At the Dawt Church of Christ, in order to better harmonize, the people sat together according to what part they sang. Doin had a beautiful bass voice, so he sat in that section. Jaretty was soprano, and Lozell sat in the alto section. Everyone could read shaped notes, since they learned them in singing schools that were directed in school and church buildings throughout the county. Doin and Lozell attended many of these lessons and could sing any church song.

Shortly after marriage, Doin and Lozell moved their meager belongings to Springfield, MO. They rented an apartment for $3 a week. They had to share a bath and had an ice box (no refrigeration in their home at that time). Later, they moved into a nicer apartment for $5 a week. The couple decided to go to California where Doin’s brother worked in the Imperial Valley in Brawley, southern California. Doin had heard through a friend that there was work in the Lockheed Airplane factory. So the newlyweds headed west. Neither had been out of the state (except Northern Arkansas where Lozell had been one time).

Doin and Lozell left Springfield early one morning in August and by nightfall; they could see the lights of Oklahoma City. Since neither of them had ever traveled in level country before, as soon as they began to see the lights, they thought they would enter the city in a few minutes. They were surprised to find that it was at least twenty-five miles away. This trip was a great adventure for both of them. The weather was very hot (no air conditioning in cars at that time), but the happy couple sang songs enjoying the harmony on “Lonesome Pine Special” and even did some yodeling. They made such wonderful memories of that trip; it was really their honeymoon since they had only been married four months. The second night they stopped in Alamogordo, New Mexico and rented a cabin. They bought a can of beans, since that’s what was eaten a lot at home, but found out that they were Mexican beans!

The next stop was Phoenix, Arizona where they visited Ray Robinson at his business, Upton’s Ice Cream Place. An Ozark county man, Clifford Upton, had a chain of confectioneries in the Phoenix area, and employed mostly Ozark County people. He said they were good workers. Both Doin and Lozell were offered jobs selling ice cream. They lived in an apartment in the back of the store.

Doin’s Uncle, Clifford Luna, called to tell Doin that he had a job for him in Hobbs, New Mexico - working as a sales clerk for J.C. Penny. Uncle Clifford and Aunt Pearl lived in Portales, New Mexico, where he was a manager of the Penny store. Lozell was offered a job as well. Since Doin wanted to train for manager, the wives were also trained in most departments.

Doin and Lozell lived in a garage apartment. They found it hard to make ends meet on their meager salaries, but they occasionally enjoyed going to the movies. One night, while standing in line for tickets, someone picked Doin’s wallet from his hip pocket. They had been saving for a vacation in Missouri to visit their folks. They were devastated. Doin told his manager about it, and he advanced their salary so they could make the trip.

In December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and the war with Germany was already on. Coming back to Hobbs from one of their visits to Missouri, Doin found a notice in the mail box for him to report for induction into the army at Ft. Bliss, Texas. They assumed that he would fail the exam because of his damaged eyesight in his left eye, but he passed it and had a few days to take Lozell back to her folks before he left for El Paso. Doin’s mother, Aunt Mattie and Lozell accompanied him to the bus station. Poor Ethel was so overcome with grief to see her baby boy go off to war, that Lozell and Aunt Mattie had to hold her up. It was a sad time for lots of people. Lozell stayed with her folks while Doin was in basic training. After that, Lozell went to El Paso. Doin met her at the station. He looked so different in uniform, and he had gained up to 175 pounds. Basic training was good for him.


In The Army

He had found an apartment for them to live in and had located a Church of Christ nearby. Many friends were made while worshipping there.

The Pitchford family grew while living in El Paso with the birth of two sons. Larry Jo was born August 27, 1943 at the Biggs Field Army air base hospital. The family moved into government housing, a nice brick apartment.

Doin was put in limited service because of his eye. He measured the soldiers for their uniforms at first (He suited up Ernie Pyle who was to be a war correspondent), but since he had had experience as a teacher, he spent the rest of his time teaching men to read and write. Lots of them were Mexican. They didn’t want to be inducted so they would say “No Savvy”! One Arkansas man had never learned to read and write. Doin took a special interest in him, and he learned so fast he was able to write to his wife.

The second son, Gary Lee, was born August 15, 1945, the day the war ended.

At that time, Doin applied for a transfer to Missouri from Hobbs, with J.C. Penny and got a job at the Popular Bluff, MO store. It was good to be civilians again. Lozell stayed at home with her children.

J.C. Penny just did not pay good wages, and an ad in the St. Louis paper led Doin to a new job in Hillsboro, IL. He managed Wolf Department Store there and another son, David Hamilton, was born February 6, 1948.

Doin always wanted to be a preacher, so in 1950, they decided to move to Abilene, Texas so he could attend Abilene Christian College. As a result of this decision, he was baptized into the Lord’s church in 1951 at Odessa, Texas by Eddie Myers. While attending college, he was able to get assistance on the GI bill. He also worked for a building contractor.

His first fulltime preaching job was at Dunn, TX. He drove back and forth to Abilene to attend Bible classes. While living in Dunn, a daughter, Mary Katherine (Kathy), was born June 18, 1951.

That same year, the church at Gainesville, MO decided to hire their first full time preacher, so they asked Doin to come. In November, 1951, the Pitchford family moved back to Gainesville. Doin held their first Vacation Bible School and began teaching a Ladies’ Bible Class and Men’s Training Class. On week nights, he preached at neighboring congregations. During the three years we there, he baptized many folks and preached several funerals. He was the only full time preacher in the county.

In the early 1950’s, they had to break ice in order to carry out a baptismal service at the Tecumseh picnic ground at the North Fork of the White River. There were no waders for the preacher to wear, and the husband and wife being baptized wore regular clothes as well. As they came out of the water, their pants legs and hair were frozen.

A fifth child, John Wesley (Johnny), was born on September 28, 1953. The family enjoyed living in the country. It was a good place for the children, and Doin and Lozell were able to visit their parents regularly. It was then that the family purchased their first TV.

In 1954, the family again made a move, this time near Diamond, MO to the West Union congregation. Doin helped them conduct their first VBS. It was an old established congregation. The family lived in a church owned house next to the church building. While there, Doin helped build a baptistry, helped work on a nursing home and with other preachers, began a new church in Granby. In 1956, some of the Ozark county folks who had moved to Derby, Kansas to work for Boeing Aircraft Factory, heard about Doin’s preaching and asked him to move there.

So in August 1956, another move took place. Derby was known as the fastest growing town in the U.S. The Post Office moved three times in one year, and the school system couldn’t furnish buildings fast enough and had to use barracks for some of the classes. The streets were new and dusty. Planes were heard overhead so often and loud, that anyone using the telephone had to stop talking until they passed over. The church was meeting in a lodge hall while their new building was being built. There were eighty some folks attending at that time. Doin contacted a lot of Ozark county folks, and attendance began to grow. He did quite a bit of TV preaching on the “Let the Bible Speak” program.

It was at Derby that the sixth child, James William (Jimmy), was born July 24, 1957. At last the family was complete.


A Young Pitchford Family
Back - Larry
Middle Row L to R - Dave, Gary
Front Row- Johnny, Doin, Jimmy, Lozell,Kathy

The next move was in 1960 to Clearwater, Kansas. When they left Derby, the church had a little over 300 in attendance. They felt that was one of the best works they ever had. Clearwater was like a mission point, only sixteen miles from Derby. There were sixteen congregations supporting the beginning of that work. They asked Doin if he would build it up. There were only two or three other families who helped get it started. The church was able to buy an old church building. Derby furnished a song leader and several other families helped there for a while, coming from Mulvane, Wichita and Derby. Emporia Avenue in Wichita began to help with the work. They rented a big house a little over a mile from town. It was ideal for the large Pitchford family with lots of bedrooms and a basement.

Doin had promised Granby if they would keep the church going, he would come back, so in 1962, the family moved back to Granby. The church bought a house that had been an old funeral home; so once again, there was plenty of room for a large family. Jimmy started to school there. The children made many new friends. Larry was in college when they moved there.

During that year, they made a trip to Canada. They had been there before, helping a small church there with VBS. Doin helped Brother Hancock raise money to hire a full time preacher for the church in Portage La Prairie. They went and talked to churches in Oklahoma and Kansas. Doin had held a meeting in Brandon, Manitoba and realized the need for help there.

While in Granby, Doin and Lozell became interested in school activities and realized they needed money to have a better school system. Doin helped them raise money by voting in a tax levy. Lozell was very active in PTA there.

During the course of his ministry at Derby and Clearwater, Doin served on the Advisory Board at York College, York, Nebraska.

In 1963, Larry married a preacher’s daughter, Gail Fowler, whom he had met at Derby. He attended York College and transferred to Rolla School of Mines. Gary attended York College where he met Sandy Harp (another preacher’s daughter), and they were married in 1966 before he went to Harding.

In 1965, the remaining family moved from Granby to Emporia, Kansas, where brother Tinius had helped the struggling church there. He recommended Doin for the task, and they were happy to move where they had good schools and a larger town of 20,000.

Emporia State College gave new opportunities for ministry. The Pitchfords met new friends every summer as they would be there for the summer session. The church was blessed with a lot of young college students also. At that time there were several Bible chairs on or near campuses over the brotherhood, and Doin realized the need for one in Emporia. Brother Wilburn Hills had one in Topeka and helped Doin and the church with plans. Doin drove all over Kansas getting support for that work and was able to find a building for sale across the street from the college. By 1968, they were ready for classes to begin, but they needed a man with a Masters Degree in Bible to teach Bible for credit. They checked around and found a man who had finished at Abilene Christian College. However, the church couldn’t support him and Doin too. They faced the dilemma of having found a Bible Chairman, but then they realized they would have to either not have the Chair or lose their preacher. Doin said “If you don’t start the Chair now, I’ll be the biggest liar in the state of Kansas since I’ve been telling folks their young people would have a chance to have Bible education.”

Everything worked out fine. The church at Portales, New Mexico was in need of a preacher, so the same truck that moved the Pitchfords to New Mexico went on to Abilene and picked up the young man, Jim Strait, and his family, and moved them to Emporia.

While in Portales, the Pitchfords lived in the nicest of homes. A rich feed mill family had owned it, and when they moved to Clovis, they gave the house to the Children’s Home in Portales who then sold it to the church. There was plenty of room in that house for activities for the young people.

The church in Portales was in turmoil. Some (mostly college students) were in the Charismatic Movement. There were three segments of the church there: the old timers, the Bible Chair element, and the Children’s Home with their children which made a congregation of over 600. Doin’s Uncle Clifford Luna, was a member there and was instrumental in Doin’s coming there. Doin preached there for one year.

Their third son, David, who had finished the two year program at York, was now finishing up at Harding College and in 1969 married a preacher’s daughter he met there, Sandra (Gaither) Pitchford.

While living in Portales, their daughter, Kathy, met Clayton King. He became a Christian and followed Kathy to York College. They married in 1970.

The Emporia Avenue church in Wichita wanted Doin to come there to work with them. They had helped in his support for twelve years, off and on. When Doin got a call from brother McCloud, one of the elders at Emporia Avenue, he said that since they already knew Doin, they wouldn’t have to have a “try-out” sermon. Doin had preached for them on Sunday nights while living in Derby and when they were without a preacher. That church was instrumental in starting new congregations in several Kansas towns, and later began a new work in St. Cloud, MN.

At that time, most preachers moved about more than they do now, so Doin and Lozell and their children just took these moves in stride as many other families did. While in Wichita, they lived across the street from lovely Linnwood Park. It was during their stay here that Kathy and Clayton were married in 1970.

The next move was to Clearwater again. They were ready to disband and had brought the church keys back to the elders at Emporia Avenue, as they were the ones that started the church there. Doin was so grieved, since he had worked so hard to begin the church there. The elders asked if Doin would go back and try to revive it. They had bought a house across the street from the church building. They spent about eighteen months at Clearwater, and the church was going well, so they very happily moved back to Emporia in 1974. This was about the time that their son, Johnny had finished two years at York College and was at Harding where he certified to teach music. By this time, all the other children were married except for Jimmy.

Doin loved to fish, and always had his fishing gear in the trunk of the car. If he got through with his work and visits, he would stop by a fishing hole and try his luck. It didn’t matter to him if he had on a “Sunday shirt” and tie. Lots of mornings, he would go fishing early, wearing his good clothes. One morning, a newspaper photographer took his picture while fishing with his good shirt and tie on in the Cottonwood River by the bridge. And yes, he published it in the newspaper! The caption called him a “fishing preacher.” How fitting!

His son-in-law, Clayton King, recalls memories of once when they were fishing together. Doin always cast his rod real close to his head. On this occasion, he caught the hook in his ear! He calmly opened his tackle box which had a mirror in it, pushed the barb through his ear, cut the barb with needle nose pliers and pulled it out. Clayton said, “I guess we need to go,” to which Doin replied, “No, I’ve got more hooks.” He proceeded to place a band aid on his ear and continued fishing.

Their neighbors across the street there in Emporia were Elmer and Leta Ross. They were not Christians, but after Doin and Lozell became well acquainted, Doin was able to teach and baptize both of them. Leta came first. One Sunday, Doin saw Elmer with his ladder, getting ready to paint the garage door. Doin said, “I hope it rains”. Before Sunday school was over, here came Elmer. It had started to rain. He obeyed the gospel soon after that. They became dear friends. They loved Jimmy so much. They didn’t have any boys, so they always had candy on the coffee table for him, and he loved watching their big color TV. Doin held the funeral services for both of these dear, faithful friends.

In January, 1979, they moved to Sparta, MO, leaving Jimmy behind. He was then 22 years old and in 1981, he married an Emporia girl, Taime Turner. Doin and Lozell felt right at home in Sparta and stayed there five years. The elders there were John Walker, Herb Luttrell and Owen Bloomer. They built a new brick home for the preacher directly behind the church building. Lozell’s mother came to live with them part time, as her husband had died in 1978. She attended services of the church and went with Lozell to club meetings. She was so much company to them. They played a lot of table games. Kathy and Clayton moved to Ozark during that time where he taught school, and they worshiped in Sparta. Kathy started back to college in Springfield.

Using scripture slide shows for his sermons was something Doin used frequently in the 1970’s and 80’s. He realized the importance of visual aids to assist his listeners in their understanding.

Doin began having back problems and his general health seemed to be failing. He decided he would retire from full time preaching when he reached 65.

In 1984, the elders of the church in Gainesville asked Doin if he would move there and preach. They had just moved into their new church building. They were reluctant to leave the wonderful church in Sparta, but this was the fulfillment of their dream to retire soon. Doin preached there a little over two years. It was good to be back home again. It was Doin’s last fulltime work.

He was a part of the television program, “The Living Word,” in Springfield, Missouri during his years at Sparta and Gainesville, Missouri. Doin also served as an elder at Gainesville, Missouri.

He had heart problems and back problems in 1985, so in August 1986, they moved from the Gainesville preacher’s home over to the old home place with Lozell’s mother. That year was a very difficult one. Doin’s mother passed away in March.

In June, Doin and Lozell made a trip to Korea where Larry and Gail were living. That was the one and only time they ever made a trip overseas. It was quite an experience. Doin preached for them while there for two weeks. The church was made up of mostly service men. The Koreans really rolled out the red carpet for the 400 or more Americans that were on that tour. They stayed in modern hotels and rode the train down to the end of the peninsula.

When they returned to Gainesville, they set in to remodel the old farm house that had been built in 1923. They tool great pride in producing vegetable and flowers gardens there.

In the fall of 1986, Doin had four by-pass surgery. In August 1987, he had surgery on his back.

In February 1988, Doin began preaching for the Clarkridge, AR congregation on Sunday mornings and nights. He preached for them for seven years. They attended the Gainesville congregation on Wednesday nights.


50th Anniversary Gathering
L to R Back Row: Jim, John, Dave, Gary, Larry
Front: Doin, Kathy, Lozell

In 1995, Doin started preaching on Sunday nights at the Ball congregation in Dora, MO. Their son, Gary, was Principal at Bakersfield High School and preached at the Ball on Sunday mornings. When he retired from school work and moved to Galena, MO, Doin began preaching both Sunday services at the Ball. He worked with that church for five years, and in 2002, he still preached for them occasionally.

In March, 2000, because of Doin’s declining health and ability to take care of the old home place, they moved into an apartment in Gainesville. They loved being in town closer to the church services and activities. Sometimes they would go over to the old home place and spend a few days in the spring, summer or fall.

On July 7, 2001, the family and friends met at the old home place to celebrate Doin’s 80th birthday. He received a card shower of 160 cards. A scholarship was set up in his name at Crowley’s Ridge College to benefit those students who are preparing for the ministry. David Morrison, elder at Gainesville, presented Doin with a plaque honoring him for his 51 years of preaching the gospel and gave one to Lozell for 50 years of Christian service.

With failing health, he was confined the last few years of his life to a wheelchair. In the fall of 2007, Doin and Lozell moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas to be nearer to their doctors and son David and wife, Sandra. They loved being a part of the church that meets at College and North Streets in Mountain Home.

Just three months before he passed away, Doin and Lozell celebrated 67 years of marriage. They won the prize for being married the longest at the church Valentine Sweetheart Banquet. What a refreshing accomplishment for this day and time!

Doin passed away on May 29, 2008 at the Hospice House in Mountain Home after a lingering illness. His funeral was held at the Gainesville church of Christ in Gainesville, Missouri with Halbert Smith presiding.

Ken Burton, minister at the College and North congregation, conducted the graveside service at the Ball Cemetery in Dora, Missouri.

Doin moved around a lot, but he was never asked to leave a congregation, and he seldom preached a “try out” sermon. He said he just knew when it was time to move on and always knew of some place that needed a preacher. He loved people, and he had a wife well suited to the task. Lozell was an ideal preacher’s wife; gracious, hospitable and well versed in the scripture. She was an effective Bible class teacher to the children and ladies as well. Lozell still resides in Mountain Home.

Larry made a career as a Civil Engineer with the U.S. Corps of Engineers. He is now retired, and he and Gail live in Galena, MO where Gail still teaches school part time. He has done some preaching and served as a deacon at one time.

Gary made a career of teaching and served as Principal at Bakersfield High School in Missouri for several years. He also preached part time several years and has served as an elder in the church. He and Sandy are retired and also live at Galena, MO.

David taught school at Mountain Home High for ten years and then went into business for himself, opening a car service center. After 24 years, he has retired. He and Sandra still live in Mountain Home, AR where Dave serves as an elder in the church.

Kathy teaches school and stays very busy as a preacher’s wife. Her husband, Clayton King, preaches in LaJunta, CO.

Jim manages a group of rental properties in Emporia, KS, and Taime works for Emporia State University. They are workers in the church, and Jim has served as a deacon.

Doin and Lozell currently have twelve grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested memorials be made to the Crowleys Ridge College scholarship fund.

Donations can continue to be sent to:
Crowleys Ridge College
Doin Pitchford Memorial Fund
100 College Drive
Paragould, AR 72450-9980


One Of The Last Photos Of Doin and Lozell Together - Taken March 1, 2008

Final Resting Place of Doin Pitchford

The burial plots of the Pitchfords is located in the cemetery of the Ball Church of Christ in Dora, Missouri. From Springfield, travel east on Hwy. 60 for 55 miles. At Mountain Grove turn right on Hwy. 95 (S). Go about 12 miles to Vanzant and turn left on State Hwy. W. Go 12 miles to Richville and turn left on Hwy. 14. Go a little over a mile and turn right on Hwy. 181. The church is about four miles south.






Pitchford
Doin
July 7, 1921
May 29, 2008
Lozell
Aug 7, 1922

Special thanks to the Pitchford family for putting together the contents of this site. The story of Doin & Lozell's lives, handwritten in a journal of Lozell's, was typed by a daughter-in-law, Sandy (Harp) Pitchford who is married to their son, Gary. Another daughter-in-law, Sandra (Gaither) Pitchford, married to Dave, edited the information, solicited memories from the other children, gathered photos to use and submitted the data in February, 2009. Another point of interest is that Sandra's father was the long-time Tennessee preacher of the 20th century, J. B. Gaither.

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