Waid Douglas Toy went to his eternal home on July 30, 2024 in Fairfax, Virginia. He was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on May 9, 1945, to the late Waid Sidney and Vannie (Meetze) Toy, who survives. Doug graduated from Irmo High School, the University of South Carolina with a degree in economics, and later attended George Mason University for graduate study in management of information systems. Doug descended from a long line of Patriots, extending from the Revolutionary War to his own father’s WWII service in the Battle of the Bulge in which his father was captured and imprisoned in a German POW camp, so his military career after college was a natural choice. He was commissioned in the Army as a second lieutenant with his first duty station in Germany. Doug served a year during the Vietnam Conflict from 1971-72, and tours of duty at Army posts at home and abroad during his 21-year career. He attended the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, the United States Army Intelligence Center of Excellence at Fort Huachuca, and the Army Force Management School at Fort Belvoir. He retired from the Army, serving first as an armor officer and later as an intelligence officer. For his service, he was awarded several honors, including the Legion of Merit. As a civilian, he worked for the next 26 years at the United States Department of the Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM).

Doug lived by the Golden Rule, humbly completing acts of kindness and offering a helping hand to anyone who needed it. He was a dedicated family man who treasured his immediate and extended family. He was a loyal friend who maintained cherished lifelong friendships. No one who ever knew him will ever forget Doug’s unique sense of humor.

Doug enjoyed nature, traveling, trying different cuisines, watching Westerns or British comedy shows, Formula One, football and had an eclectic appreciation of music. He was a lifelong USC fan. In his younger years he ran 10k races and later in life enjoyed playing his acoustic guitar.

Doug leaves behind his beloved wife of 38 years, Cylvia (Markley) Toy, cherished daughters Allison Toy, Ashley (Patrick) Geiger, stepdaughter Leah Elizabeth Lemon, and granddaughter Sela Azilee Geiger. In addition to his mother, he also is survived by his uncle John (Vicki) Meetze, and several cousins.

The family would like to express special thanks to Fairfax County EMS and INOVA Fairfax Hospital Emergency Department for their exceptional efforts and quality of care.

A celebration of life will be held at Bethel Lutheran Church, White Rock, South Carolina, on September 21, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. with reception to follow. Funeral arrangements with burial at Arlington National Cemetery are to be determined at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Doug’s name to the Parkinson’s Foundation @ https://www.parkinson.org or Bethel Lutheran Church, 2081 Dutch Fork Road, White Rock, SC 29177.