Dennis John Doughty

Dennis John Doughty, 78 of Bristol, formerly of Plainville, known to his family as the original bad ass, passed away on Sunday, February 8, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of brilliance, grit, and love.  Dennis was joyfully reunited with his childhood sweetheart and the love of his life, Patricia Anne (Doucette) who predeceased him in 2022 after 55 years of marriage.

Dennis was born in Bristol on August 3, 1947, one of two sons to the late Alden and Florence (Costella) Doughty.  A graduate of Plainville High School and Porters School of Engineering and Design, Dennis built an extraordinary career at General Electric, where he spent 38 years as a Design Engineer Specialist. His sharp mind and relentless curiosity led to countless patents across the United States, Canada, and Europe, along with an impressive number of trade secrets that will, as he would prefer, remain secrets forever. 

Outside of work, Dennis lived life at full throttle. He loved his Harley Davidson motorcycle, Corvettes, and the roar of engines at drag races. Speed thrilled him, precision fascinated him, and craftsmanship mattered, whether in engineering, machines, or the perfect photograph. Photography was one of his great passions, a talent he proudly passed along to his niece and goddaughter, Dana. In his later years, Dennis found joy in bird watching, carefully documenting and sharing each new species that visited his feeders, proving that even the original bad ass could appreciate quiet moments and small wonders.

Dennis will be remembered as fiercely intelligent, unapologetically himself, deeply loyal, and endlessly interesting. His impact lives on in his inventions, his stories, the people he taught, and the love he shared.

He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Bonnie-Marie Doughty-Jenkins, with whom he made his home; his brother, Douglas Doughty and his wife Diana; his nieces and nephews, Taylor Doughty, Dana (Rich) Johnson, Michelle (Rob) Rawcliffe, Craig (Erin) Doucette; Rebecca (Karl) Stefanczyk, Matthew, Michael and Mark Doucette.  He also leaves his step-great-granddaughters who affectionately called him Denny, Kayla, Alana and Madelyn.  In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by his son-in-law John Jenkins and his brother-in-law Randy Doucette.

Family and friends may gather on Friday, February 27, 2026 from 5-7 p.m. at Plainville Funeral Home, 81 Broad St, Plainville.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday February 28, 2026 at 10 a.m., meeting directly at St. Matthew Church, 120 Church Ave, Bristol.  Committal will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol.  For online expressions of sympathy, please visit http://www.PlainvilleFuneralHome.com

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