Funeral services for Dr. Coy Hansel Poitevint, 96, of Dothan, Ala., were held Monday, Aug. 23, at the First Baptist Church of Dothan, Ala., with Dr. Johnny Fain and the Rev. Bob Gross officiating and Robert Byrd directing.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church Missions Fund, 300 W. Main St., Dothan, AL 36303, or to the Kiwanis Club of Dothan, P.O. Box 5569, Dothan, AL 36302.

Serving as active pallbearers were Allen Mathews, John Turner, Dr. Ken Clark, Dr. Bobby Martin, Dr. Kirk Holland, Dr. Will Duke, Dr. Ben Garrett and Dr. Fred Garrett. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Greater Dothan Veterinary Medical Association, the Southeast Alabama Veterinary Medical Association, Dothan Kiwanis and Dr. Poitevint’s Sunday School Class.

Born on Jan. 1, 1914, near Bainbridge, Dr. Poitevint died on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Ala.

Dr. Poitevint was the son of James Henry Poitevint and Mary Ida Martin Poitevint. He graduated from high school in 1932 and later worked his way through college at the University of Georgia and Auburn University, where he graduated in 1937. He spent a short time as a county agent in Georgia before returning to Auburn to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine.

He married Louise Darley in 1940 and they were married for 69 years, until her death on Sept. 6, 2009. In 1943, shortly after graduating, Dr. Poitevint moved to Dothan, Ala., and opened his first veterinary office on South Oates Street. He sold the office in 1966 and retired. He returned to work six years later and retired again in 1995. In all, Dr. Poitevint spent 50 years in veterinary services and was a longtime member of the Greater Dothan Veterinary Medical Association, as well as the Southeast Alabama Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Poitevint was very active in his church and the community. He volunteered his time with several clubs and organizations over the years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church since 1943 and a member of the Dothan Chamber of Commerce since 1945. He helped set up the Peanut Festival during his tenure as the president of the Jaycees.

In 1965, he received the 4-H Club Alumni Recognition Award, received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 1967, in 1974 he was given the Alan Matthews Award by the Chamber of Commerce. He received the 1980 Houston County Leadership Award, the Kiwanis John Parsons Award in 1980-81 and 1983-84, was distinguished as a George P. Hixon Fellow on Jan. 25, 1996, by the Kiwanis, received the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association Distinguished Service Award in 1997. He was President of the ALVMA in 1951, he received the Houston County Junior Cattleman’s Award in 1983.

He was a member of the Kiwanis Legion of Honor and set up the Dr. Coy H. Poitevint Leadership Scholarship with the Kiwanis, was distinguished with the Mercer Barnett Fellow in 2004 by the Kiwanis Foundation, and received the Kiwanis International Tablet of Honor. He received the Dothan Chamber of Commerce Muley Award in 1997, and was honored by the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation District of 1999 for 25 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Henry Poitevint and Mary Ida Martin Poitevint; his brothers, Dr. Ottis Lamar Poitevint, DVM, Alec Lloyd Poitevint and Quay Poitevint; a sister, Mary Kennette Dupree; and a brother-in-law, the Rev. Byron Edward Dupree.

Survivors include his nieces and nephews, Stephen P. Poitevint and Alec L. Poitevint II, both of Bainbridge, Angela Taylor of Macon, Ga., Lynn Lee of Tifton, Ga., James Dupree of Pine Lake, Ga., William C. Darley Jr. of Pine Mountain, Ga., and D. Ashley Darley of Dawson, Ga.; 15 great nieces and great nephews; and two sisters-in-law, Agnes Joyce Lynn Poitevint of Bainbridge and Marion Creel Hicks of Opelika, Ala.

Robert Byrd of Sunset Funeral Home in Dothan, Ala., was in charge of arrangements.