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Laura (Mary) Doyle
Born: December 9, 1945
Died: June 30, 2024
Age at Death: 79 years
Laura (Mary) Doyle
December 9, 1945 - June 30, 2024
Born in Oakland, California, Laura passed peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, at Saanich Peninsula Hospital. She is survived by her partner of over 40 years, Nelly van Leeuwen; her son, Liam Doyle Cooper, and her grandson, Satoshi Keith.
Raised in Sacramento, Laura eventually found her home along the shores of the Salish Sea, spending her last years in Brentwood Bay. Initially trained as a special education teacher, Laura later earned a medical degree and practiced as a child psychiatrist in the B.C. public system. Laura was an unpretentious intellectual, progressive, patient, kind, sometimes shy, but brave and determined. A deeply spiritual person, she loved to raise her voice in joyful song. Laura was devoted to the care and service of others, in both her professional and personal life. She loved dogs, and had a "sheepdog's heart", herself. Parkinson's eventually robbed her of the ability to speak, but her amazing gift-to make everyone she knew feel seen, heard, and valued for who they were, endured until her final days. Her radical acceptance of life and her condition was an inspiration to those around her. She will be deeply missed.
Side Note: In 2013 Mary was reported deceased and there were 10 comments entered. Then she was located and her profile page was reinstated. However, when this memory page was created, those orginal comments were re-entered on their own. Rest in peace Mary.
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Elizabeth Pierson (Fenton)
I, too, was shocked and saddened to see Mary's name on the deceased classmates list. We became good friends at McClaychy, where we shared many classes. When Lynne C. Moved to Washington our junior year, Mary and I started eating lunch at her house, which was close to school, since our friends all had a different lunch period. Senior year I talked Mary into taking a test for the job I had the previous summer, and we both then worked as recreation directors in south Sacramento throughout college every summer. We shared lunches, met at softball games, and often played a few holes of golf in Land Park before work. After college I lost track of Mary, bu started googling her when I returned to California several years ago (with no luck). I hope her life after college was a good one. I miss her.
Bill Kelso
The good news is that Mary is alive and doing well.
About a month ago when I wrote an In Memory comment about Mary, I mentioned that it was frustrating not knowing when Mary had died, where she had lived, or what she had done for a living. It seemed that Mary had just vanished from sight. To clarify the situation my hope was that someone would have some information about Mary and post it on the McClatchy website.
However, when nobody came forth with any details about Mary’s life, I tried to see if I could find more information about what had happened to her over the past fifty years. Since I knew Mary had graduated from Stanford University, I looked at their alumni website to see if they knew where she had lived. To my surprise they had a contact address to reach her. But the e mail address was for a Laura Doyle rather than a Mary Doyle. Since Mary had never used the name Laura while we were growing up, I just thought the alumni news had confused two different people.
But when I wrote to the address Stanford had listed, I nearly fell out of my chair when Mary responded. While her letter was a complete surprise, it was also a very happy surprise as I learned that Mary is alive, living in Canada and enjoying her retirement years.
While the past year has been hard learning that so many of our classmates are no longer with us, it is nice to know that my long term friend from kindergarten, Crocker Elementary School, Cal Jr. High, McClatchy and college is still with us. After hearing about Fred and Mike’s death, it is great to finally get some good news about our former classmates.
Diana Doupé (Vicari)
Oh, Bill---thank goodness Mary is still alive--and enjoying her life! So good of you to track her down and let us all know...merci beaucoup!
Diana
Bonnie De Angelis (Stormont)
Thanks Bill for finding Mary! Best news I've heard in a long time! Living in Canada, huh? That's awesome! I have many fun memories of going to Mary's house off Freeport Blvd. upstairs listening to records together......ah....those were the days! If you should talk to her again, via US Mail or otherwise, please give her my very best and try to get her to log in to this great site. I would really enjoy touching bases with her. I remember her as being such a dear person with a great personality. Good fond memories. Thanks again Bill.
Kate (Kathy) Nehrbass
Glad for detectives in our class!! This is the second person I know of who wasn't actually passed on that was listed that way. Great news. Mary was a very good friend to me and I'm glad to know she is doing well in Canada. Perhaps if she logs onto this site we can all say hello personally.
Thanks, Bill
Charlotte Adelman (Paliani)
Great news Bill!! Thanks for following up. I remember Mary being warm and fiendly and smart! I am not surprised she graduated Stanford. Now I know someone living in Canada just slightly north, haha
Diane Hinesley (Malone)
Good on you Bill for reaching out to locate Mary. Glad to know she is alive and doing well. Do you know where in Canada she is living?
Diane Hinesley Malone
Ron Brashear
thank you Bill that was good news I'm glad she's enjoying her retirementRonald Link
Thanks to all....We losing classmates too ofter. I glad to hear Mary is doing well. I am also thankful for this site--it allows us to keep in touch no matter where we live (Diane--in France or me on a planet far..far..away)
To all...as we go into the Holidays...be ever mindful of those serve in the military.
Ron
Diane Hinesley (Malone)
And so it goes we say goodbye to another friend, classmate of "63" Mary was always up beat, positive, smart. I am glad she lived her life on her terms. She will be missed by those she touched.Diane Malone