John Francis Dovey, 93 years old, left this life on Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Spokane Valley, WA.  He was born in Detroit, MI on January 13, 1932 to John and Anna Helen (Labuda).  In his early years he saw the new cars coming off the production lines and dreamed of driving his own someday.  At 19, he enlisted and served four years in the U.S. Air Force, flying on cargo planes and seeing action overseas during the Korean Conflict.  His career began in Spokane, WA as a draftsman for Washington Water Power.  He married Ellen Vanderzanden on November 10, 1962 in Portland, OR; settled in Richland, WA; and together they started what would become a large family.  He designed and had built the home they shared for 37 years.  His studies led to a career in Construction Engineering for Westinghouse and Rockwell on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.  He was on the team that designed the propulsion system for the Voyager I and II deep space probes that are still sending signals back to earth nearly 50 years later.

He was an avid hiker, something he passed on to his children, and enjoyed seeing the wonders of the Northwest.  Later in life he and Ellen traveled to many world destinations and saw sights from Argentina to Australia; Russia to Peru.  He enjoyed reading, model building, financial planning, landscape care, and gardening.  He had a special fondness for warbirds and loved attending air shows to see them perform.  He was a lifelong Catholic who was dedicated to his faith and had a deep, contemplative spirituality.  He always carried his rosary with him, was active in Marriage Encounter, and was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus.

He was preceded in death by his three brothers; Donald, Jim, and his twin Joe, his son Don and daughter Teresa.  He is survived by his wife; Ellen, his sister; Mary Ann, and six children; Catherine, Vickie, Dan, John, David, and Janet.  He is also survived by eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.