Dolores Boyle

Boyle, Dolores Marietta (nee) Russell age 87, passed peacefully surrounded by her loving husband and children on April 7, 2024. Doree was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and raised on The Russell Farm in Parchment.  She later moved next door to the farm with her own family before moving to Gull Lake in 1979.  She was a parishioner at St. Ann Catholic Church in Augusta, Michigan.  

Doree was the first in her family to graduate from college, earning her bachelor’s degree in education from Western Michigan University.  She married Robert Francis Boyle in 1958 and together they raised seven children.   Doree taught for 2 years and then used her skills at home with her family.  Together, Bob and Doree built 3 successful businesses in the Kalamazoo area, Wellsaw, Coxline and WF Wells.  Bob always said that Doree was the brains behind every decision they made.   She was the voice of reason and financial expert while Bob was the “idea guy” and “dreamer”.  Theirs is a love story for the ages.  With 65 years of marriage, they worked together, played together, and traveled the world all while sharing their many gifts with their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and extended family members.  Doree was artistic and creative and had many passions.   One of her passionate outreach endeavors was providing Orthodontics to many children.  She often said. “a smile builds confidence and can open doors”.   The family continues this tradition.

Doree is preceded in death by her parents Newman and Dolores Russell, brothers, John and James Russell, sister Sally Wrench, granddaughter, Lydia Marietta Powell and wonderful son-in-law Keith Butus.   She leaves behind, to cherish her memory, her loving husband of 65 years, Robert F. Boyle, children, Martha (Dave) Stover, Laura (Mark) Alcini, Nancy (Jeff) Chapman, Patrick (Kelly) Boyle, Mary (John) Miner, Colleen (Ed) Smith and Sarah Butus, her 22 grandchildren, 6 bonus-grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to their wonderful caregivers who have shown such love and care for the past 6 years.  

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Kairos Dwelling, an end-of-life care home in Doree’s honor, www.Kairosdwelling.com.

A receiving of family and friends will be held Friday, April 12, 2024 from 5:00-7:00 pm with a Rosary Service beginning at 6:30 pm at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Richland, MI.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Ann Catholic Church, Augusta, Michigan on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.