William Kirk Doggett Jr. (“Wick”), age 92, passed away on August 20th, 2026 at his home at Newbury Court in Concord, MA. Wick had been in the care of hospice for six months. He was predeceased by his wife of 68 years, Cynthia Walz Doggett, on January 10, 2026.

The son of Eleanor Franklin Bicknell and William Kirk Doggett, Wick was born on June 11th, 1934 in Englewood, New Jersey, the first of three boys. The family lived in Englewood and spent their summers in Chatham, MA starting in 1941. It was in Chatham that Wick discovered his love of the ocean. He was an avid sailor, boater, fisherman, and bird watcher, spending many hours on Pleasant Bay, and the Atlantic with his brothers, Gene and Kim. At the peak of his sailing prowess, Wick competed in the open-ocean Sunfish world championship regatta in Bermuda in February 1972.

Wick graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in 1948 and Phillips Academy in 1952. He went on to attend Yale University earning a BS degree, graduating in 1956 from the ROTC program. Wick went on to serve in the U.S. Navy, as an Ensign on the destroyer Benham, achieving the rank of Lieutenant, before being honorably discharged in 1958. Wick earned his MBA from Babson College in 1970.

After the Navy, Wick started his career in manufacturing, initially with the Alcoa Corporation, and then moved to the Gillette Company in Boston, MA. He had a long career at Gillette, working in manufacturing plants in Boston, Chicago, and Andover, MA, and later ran the St. Paul, MN plant. Wick finished his career with Gillette back in Boston in management where he oversaw product distribution.

In 1957, Wick married his high school sweetheart, Cynthia, beginning a partnership that would span nearly seven decades. The couple lived in Alpine, NJ, before settling in Cohasset, MA and later Wellesley, MA. He enthusiastically introduced Cynthia to many of his passions, including fishing, boating, running, cross-country skiing, and birding. After many moves as they raised their family, Wick and Cynthia retired to Concord and Chatham, MA, where they enjoyed gardening and walking, and Wick continued to fish on his beloved boat “Skimmer,” always inviting grandchildren, friends, and cousins out to the rips to join him. Generally known as a somewhat impatient man, he tirelessly and always patiently passed on his fishing knowledge to his children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, and any friend willing to make it promptly out to the dock at 6 AM because if you arrived late, you risked facing an empty boat slip.

Known as “Woohoo” to his grandchildren, Wick was a devoted grandfather, husband, father, and friend who valued family, hard work, forward planning, and spending time outdoors. He always held himself and those around him to a high standard, encouraging his family and others to give their best, take pride in their efforts, and do things with care. He lived by the simple belief that if something was worth doing, it was worth doing right—a philosophy that was evident in so many aspects of his life.

Wick is survived by his four children: William (Kirk), Cynthia (Tia), John (Jeb), and Tiffany; daughters-in-law Laurel and Michelle; sons-in-law Stewart and John; brother John V. Doggett and his wife Toni Doggett; and ten grandchildren: Tucker, Dylan, Gray, Sawyer, Stetson, Jackson, Quentin, Verity, Finn, and Phoebe.

A private interment will take place at the Peoples Cemetery in Chatham, MA, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of William K. Doggett to:
Massachusetts Audubon Society
208 South Great Road
Lincoln, MA 01773
781-259-9500
www.massaudubon.org
 or
The Friends of Chatham Waterways
P.O. Box 472
Chatham, MA 02633
www.chathamwaterways.org

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street, Concord, MA 01742 978-369-3388 www.concordfuneral.com