Royce Dotson

Charles Royce Dotson of Prairie City, Oregon, known to many as "Royce," left this world peacefully in the early morning of January 4, 2026, with his daughter, Tina, and granddaughter, Caitlin, at his side. A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later time.

Royce was born March 14, 1932, in Huntsville, AR, to parents Chloie Binam and Duke Dotson. When he was about 5 years old, the Dotsons and the Binam’s headed West, and though they lived in several areas, settled in Oregon, where they ended up at Camp Watson searching for work and eventually met up with the Hudspeth's (John Hudspeth, a prominent lumberman) from Oklahoma, who were friends of the families when they lived in Arkansas. They settled at Camp Watson, which is now a historical site near Mitchell, Oregon. Royce attended grade school in Prineville, Oregon, and later high school in Mitchell, Oregon, earning letters in basketball and baseball, and graduating as Class Valedictorian. After high school, he earned a degree from Oregon Tech.

After college, Royce traveled and worked on a fishing boat in Alaska. He later moved out towards the Southwest with his father and met his former wife, with whom he had two children, Charlotte and Chuck. Later, Royce and his father started working for John Hudspeth, building a mill in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, which was San Juan Lumber. Royce worked in Pagosa Springs for several years before meeting the love of his life. Phyllis Quintana, whom he married, and with their daughter, Crystal, they headed to Long Creek, Oregon, where they welcomed another daughter, Tina. They lived there for a short time and then headed back to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, where Royce became the Manager of San Juan Lumber and, along with wife, Phyllis, raised their two daughters until San Juan Lumber closed, which took them to a couple of other states for a short time.

Eventually, Royce, Phyllis, and their youngest daughter, Tina, moved to Prairie City, Oregon, in 1980, where Royce lived for the last 46 years. Royce worked for Prairie Wood Products for several years as Mill Manager and later moved on to Malheur Lumber in John Day, Oregon. He traveled to Lithuania several times to assist with the construction and planning of a mill owned by Ochoco Lumber. After retiring from Malheur Lumber in 1996, he was again asked to consult and travel to Lithuania a couple more times, and he became a consultant with his firm, Madera Consulting. He traveled and worked in Tennessee, Arizona, Emmett, Idaho, and also did some consulting locally for Grant Western Lumber in John Day, Oregon. Among the many hats he wore, he was also elected to the Forestry Commission in Grant County.

Royce was an avid historian and could talk anyone's ears off about history around Grant, Deschutes, and Wheeler counties, and the list goes on and on. He loved collecting old historical maps and sharing them with friends. He helped with much of the information and photos used in the publication of the book "Green Gold, "which highlights the early years of the lumber industry in Eastern and Central Oregon. He enjoyed both steelhead and fly fishing. He enjoyed camping with his family and hunting with his best friend, Walt Clark. He was a very good artist and loved to paint pictures of old sawmills, old bridges, and landscapes such as Strawberry Mountain. He was able to pass on his artistic gift to his granddaughter, Caitlin, who is also a talented artist.

Royce loved watching NFL Football and was obsessed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He loved to play the slot machines when he had a chance, and he won some pretty big jackpots back in the day. In fact, just two days before his passing, he wanted to plan a trip to Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City, Oregon

Royce was a wonderful, caring son, husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, cousin, and friend to so many. He was very loved and respected in the community and past communities he lived in because of his kind, respectful, and caring demeanor. He was just an all-around "good guy". He was a fighter, and no matter how bad he felt or how many obstacles he faced in the last few months of his life, he was determined to get better and do all the things he loved with family and friends. He was not ready to leave this world, and we were not ready for him to go either; however, God had other plans.

Royce was preceded in death by his beautiful wife, Phyllis Dotson, daughter, Crystal Quintana, parents, Duke Dotson and Chloie Maxwell, stepfather, Charles "Coon" Maxwell, his little sister, Carolyn Trujillo, great-grandson Jace Higginbotham, and his very best friend, hunting and fishing buddy, Walt Clark of Prairie City.

Royce is survived by his children, Tina Willet, Charlotte Doll, and Chuck Dotson, as well as grandchildren Caitlin Willet and Tim Quintana, with whom he shared remarkably close bonds, Daniel Virgil Martinez, and Avila Doll. Emmauel Doll, Joseph Doll, Sheila Doll, and Bernadette Doll, as well as several great-grandchildren.

Daddy, Papa, Grandpa, Granddad, Uncle Royce, Cousin Royce, you left us so very broken-hearted when you left this world. We are sure you were welcomed by all your family and friends who went before you and have found the best places to do the things you loved to do to include camping, fishing, painting ( we hope you meet up with Bob Ross as you used to love to watch his painting show), eating authentic HOT Southwest Mexican food and enjoying as much chocolate as possible. We hope each and every day is a “Colorado Day” as you used to put it, meaning it was a beautiful sunny day. We love and miss you more than words can describe we will meet again full of hugs and joyful tears.

Driskill Memorial Chapel is assisting the family.