Nancy E. Doyle

Sept. 5, 1930 - Nov. 29, 2018

SOUTH BEND, IN - It is with great sorrow that we convey the passing of our Mother, Nancy Eleanor Doyle (nee Berg) on November 29, 2018 in Seattle, Washington (born: September 5, 1930). She loved her husband, Richard Daniel Doyle, children and grandchildren, as well as the street and neighborhood in which they raised their family, Park Avenue. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard (March 26, 1931 - June 29, 1998). She is survived by her sister, Margaret Berg Meehan of Wall Township, New Jersey; and her seven children: Margaret Doyle Fitzpatrick of Seattle, Washington; Joseph Richard Doyle of Elkhart; Martha Carolyn Doyle (Mark Shimizu) of Seattle; Monica Ruth Doyle of Mason City, Iowa; Esther Marie Doyle of Seattle; James Edward Doyle (Judy) of South Bend; and Charles Alan Doyle (Marla) of Warsaw, Indiana. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Simon Doyle Fitzpatrick of Paris, France; Rory Doyle Fitzpatrick of Pasadena, California; Michael Doyle of South Bend; Jennifer Renee Doyle of Indianapolis; Carolyn Doyle Ernstberger (Josh) of Cincinnati; and Aubrey Nicole and Ella Elizabeth Doyle of Warsaw.

Nancy and Richard met while they were students at Riley High School in South Bend. Nancy's love of the arts was evident at a young age; she loved to sing and appeared in numerous plays at Riley in addition to a love of painting - she was quite accomplished with watercolor. Nancy attended St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida before getting married and returning to South Bend.

Nancy supported Richard through law school, his law practice, work as an Indiana legislator, and on the Indiana Parole Board. While raising their children, Nancy somehow found time to pave her driveway using salvaged bricks and found great joy working in her yard. When time allowed she was all about the arts - reading books to her children, trying her hand at pottery, calligraphy, rug hooking, rug braiding, knitting, and oil painting.

Nancy fought to preserve the history of the Near Northwest Neighborhood where she lived long before there was a government commission, from sitting in a lawn chair at Park Avenue and Navarre streets to stop the paving of the brick streets, to getting arrested in order to publicly express her concern for the loss of historic Leeper Park space. The Doyle children are forever grateful for the love of both of their parents, the values they instilled, and lessons of following through on their convictions.

The memorial will be private, but the family encourages donations to charities supporting families and children, in Nancy's memory.