United States Air Force John Michael Dobler sadly passed away on February 18, 2014 after a difficult battle with a glioblastoma brain tumor.
Dobler was born in Lake Wales, Florida and raised in Winter Haven, Florida. He loved sports and music, playing soccer and baseball, and played baritone in the marching band in high school. Dobler was also a Boy Scout. He was a huge Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Lightning fan. He and his family were very loving, warm, involved, and supportive of each other and the people around them. Dobler and his future wife, Amanda, met in high school during band camp. They dated for a while; Dobler attended church with Amanda every Sunday where a member of her father’s congregation told her she would marry Dobler one day. With Dobler beginning college and Amanda still being in high school, they broke up for a number of years before reconnecting when Amanda was a senior in college to tell her he was being deployed to Afghanistan. When he returned back to the States and they saw each other in person after so many years, Amanda knew her husband was the one. They dated long distance for two years before marrying. After three years of being married, they had their son, Noah.
Dobler was inspired to join the military by his father, who also served. Dobler always enjoyed flying and even obtained his private pilot’s license growing up and assisted in the restoration of a small plane. Not knowing what career path to choose when he was in college, he enlisted in May of 2003. He loved every second of being in the military, working in AMMO, and making many friends who gave him the nickname of “The Professor” because of his love for teaching young airmen and helping them grow in their leadership trainings. Dobler loved being part of something bigger than himself. He took such pride in the work that he was doing and loved the AMMO community, being able to live in different places, and mentoring other airmen. After retirement, Dobler had a goal of pursuing teaching in some capacity. In July of 2012, Dobler was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor three months after their son was born.
Currently, Amanda is a licensed Mental Health Counselor. She states that she could not live in a world where her husband’s loss meant nothing. She is blessed to be able to change the world and help heal others going through trauma and loss. Amanda would like to thank her parents, sister, and her military family who have been a great support for her as she navigates being a single parent. She feels so lucky to have loved and married her best friend and soulmate. The Tunnel to Towers foundation is gifting the Dobler family with a mortgage-free home and they are forever grateful to be able to continue to live in their home that gave them so much after the passing of their beloved husband and father. Amanda would like to mention that she feels honored and blessed to have known her husband from the age of 15, and she knows that when he took his last breath, he loved her and was proud of her. She knows he would be so proud and thankful to know that his family is taken care of.
United States Air Force John Michael Dobler is survived by his loving wife, Amanda, and their son, Noah.