Barbara Dooley, born in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 8, 1939, obtained her bachelor’s degree in speech therapy and special education from Auburn University. Additionally, she secured her master’s degree in guidance and counseling. On March 19, 1960, Barbara Meshad married Vince Dooley.
Barbara and Vince first encountered each other at Auburn University when Barbara was a student and Vince was an assistant coach. They were soon wed, and together they had four children; Deanna, Daniel, Denise, and Derek.
Barbara Dooley has had an extensive and varied career. As a mother of four, she and her husband Vince have worked hard to raise their children and have maintained an active parenting lifestyle. In a 2021 interview with Southeast Produce Weekly, Barbara reflected on their dedication: “The first year living in Athens, Vince was home for only 52 of the 365 nights. Despite this, when he was home he was incredibly involved in the children’s upbringing.” In addition to being a mother, Barbara has worked in real estate and hosted a radio talk show five days a week.
Her Husband, Vince Dooley
Vince Dooley was born on September 4, 1932, in Mobile, Alabama. He attended McGill Catholic High School, where he excelled in both basketball and football. After completing two years of service in the Marine Corps, he returned to Auburn University to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management (1954) and a Master’s degree in History (1963). During this time, he also worked under the tutelage of legendary coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan. In December of 1963, Vince was appointed head football coach at the University of Georgia at the age of 31.
Vince Dooley spent 25 years as the head coach for the University of Georgia, where he achieved a record of 201 wins, 77 losses, and 10 ties. During his tenure, he led the Bulldogs to six Southeastern Conference Championships, twenty bowl games, and a 1980 National Championship victory against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. Dooley was honored with the NCAA Coach of the Year Award twice in 1980 and 1982 and was named SEC Coach of the Year seven times. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994, and both the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. After retiring from coaching in 1988, Dooley served as UGA’s Athletics Director from 1979 to 2003, during which teams won twenty-three national championships.
Dooley was an expert gardener, having developed a hydrangea capable of withstanding late spring freezes. His work was so impressive that the University of Georgia’s Department of Horticulture even named a rose after him. He was also a passionate student of history, belonging to the Civil War Round Table and the Civil War Trust, and donating his papers to the Georgia Historical Society.
Mrs Dooley has penned two works: Put Me in Coach: Confessions of a Football Wife (1992) and Fourth and Inches: How to Win When Cancer is the Opponent (2015). Furthermore, Coach Dooley has authored several books on football, leadership, history, and horticulture, such as Dooley: My 40 Years at Georgia (2005), In Dooley’s Garden: A Horticultural Journey of a Football Coach (2008), History and Reminiscences of the University of Georgia (2011), and Vince Dooley and Samuel Norton Thomas, eds., The Legion’s Fighting Bulldog (2017). On October 28 2022, all of Vince and Barbara’s children were present with them at their home in Athens, Georgia when Vince sadly passed.