Doyle Brinkley

Doyle William LaFate Brinkley, 84, passed away on April 22, 2025 at his residence.

A graveside service will be Monday, May 5 at 2 p.m. in the Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Coker-Mathews Funeral Home.

Doyle was born Nov. 30, 1940 in Wetumka, Oklahoma to Mitchell (Doc) Brinkley and Corabell Brinkley. He grew up in Ada, Oklahoma and was a graduate from Ada High School, and played as #77 on the Ada Cougar state championship football team. Doyle married the love of his life Freda Hinkle on Jan. 23, 1962 in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. After graduation from high school Doyle graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1965, with a degree in architectural engineering.

After college, Doyle spent three years in the Army Medical Service Corps as a captain, including a year in Vietnam as an architect in the 44th Medical Brigade, helping to build hospitals. Doyle worked with architectural firms in Tulsa, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Dallas. In 1970, Doyle and Freda adopted a beautiful baby boy named Nathan (meaning gift from God), and they moved from Baltimore to Plano in 1973.

Doyle and his brother Dwayne started an architectural and construction management firm in Dallas in 1975, which is still successful and large today; having designed buildings in Plano, including the Plano and Allen police and courts buildings. In 1982, Doyle started Brinkley Construction Management and built schools in Dallas and Irving, and built the Douglas Community Center in Plano, as well as some State Farm buildings across the DFW metroplex, the Richmond American office on LBJ, many medical and dental facilities, and the Greyhound headquarters on the Dallas North Tollway.

Doyle was the rock of his family, he was a wonderful husband, dad and an awesome grandfather.

Doyle is survived by his wife Freda, son; Nathan Brinkley, Grandson Nolan Brinkley and mother; Nora, granddaughter; Iris Brinkley and mother; Emily, brothers; Douglas Brinkley and Dwayne Brinkley, sister; Dilda Curtis.

Nathan said about his father, "I could not have had a better example in life, I was lucky to have gotten to intern at my dad's construction company and learned good work ethics and good values. He taught me how to succeed, fail and never give up. He was a great example to me to be compassionate, empathetic and giving and most of all he taught me to keep my family in church and follow Christ."