DELORES DEE DOYLE
She made many lifelong friends in Lowell and Dee always exclaimed that she loved “Lowell’s friendly warmth” and the opportunity to befriend other fun women raising families.
A Celebration of Life for Dolores (Dee) Doyle will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Lowell, 621 East Main Street. Beloved mother and friend, Dee Doyle passed away on February 14th. Dee was 93 years old. The day she passed on Valentine’s Day would have been her and her husband Charlie’s 71st wedding anniversary. Dee was born on July 5, 1930, and grew up in Detroit Michigan where she lived during her early years with her parents Alice and August Baut, and brother Don. She often recalled fond memories of her loving parents who took wonderful care of her. In her early years the family lived above her grandfather Victor’s pool hall (Alice’s father) on Gratiot Avenue during the depression. Later the family moved to Hazelridge Avenue in Detroit where she attended Denby High School and met many high school friends who continued to be her friends throughout her life.
Her best friend, Grace Crist who she met in grade school, had been her closest friend for over 80 years. After high school, Dee attended Merrill Palmer Institute in Detroit to begin her teaching degree. She then transferred to Hillsdale College where she finished her BA in Education. During her time at Hillsdale, Dee met Charlie Doyle and they had an instant connection. After dating for two years, Dee and Charlie married on Valentine’s Day in 1953 and settled in Lowell. For over 50 years, Dee and Charlie lived in Lowell actively participating in community events and raising four children. She made many lifelong friends in Lowell and Dee always exclaimed that she loved “Lowell’s friendly warmth” and the opportunity to befriend other fun women raising families. Dee and the other moms in town especially enjoyed watching their children compete at swimming meets at the Lowell YMCA pool during the summers.
They also loved spending time playing bridge together, one of their favorite past times! Dee was also a great cook and hosted some of the many annual Thanksgiving and Memorial Day holidays spent with the spirited Doyle clan – Charlie’s mother, his sisters, brother and all her nieces and nephews. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Dee taught 3rd and 4th grade at Runciman Elementary. Later Dee taught elementary school at St. Mary’s in Lowell and was a substitute teacher throughout Kent County. Dee also worked in her later years at Jacobson’s in East Grand Rapids. Some of Dee’s favorite remembrances with Charlie include traveling to New York City in the 1960’s with their good friends Dick and Barbara Curtis. While they were there Dee and Charlie were selected to be on the nationally televised game show “Truth or Consequences” with Merv Griffin. They won throughout the first week until their winning streak finally came to an end. Happily, the money they won was well spent at NYC restaurants, the hotel, and some gifts for the kids!
Other fun highlights of her life were the trips that she and Charlie took with youngest daughter Michele: NARFE – National Association of Retired Federal Employees – and Postmaster Conventions throughout the country, as well as trips to California to see her favorite Aunt Mae Mae, her mother’s sister with whom she was very close. Dee is survived by three of her children: Sally (Jim) Zarafonetis of Alto, Rob Doyle of Grandville, and Michele (Marty) Marino of Cascade. Dee is also survived by her grandchildren Sean (Alexie) Doyle, Justin (JR) Doyle, Alexandria Kuiper, Joshua Kuiper, Jaime (Dennis) Zarafonetis, Kaley (Melvin) Marino, Lexie Marino, and Julia (Noah) Kuhlmann, as well as many great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Dee was predeceased by her daughter Maureen Doyle (Peggy Michmershuizen), husband Charles R. Doyle (former Postmaster), her mother Alice Victoria Baut, her brother Donald Baut and her father August Clarence Baut. A Celebration of Life service for Dee will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Lowell, 621 East Main Street. A reception will follow at 11:30 a.m. at the Flat River Grill in Lowell. In lieu of flowers, donations in remembrance of Dee can be made to the United Methodist Church of Lowell or to the Corewell Health Foundation serving Corewell Health Hospitals in West Michigan & Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Dee served for many years as a member of the Alexander Campbell Guild at Blodgett Hospital working in the Garden View Café to raise funds for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Butterworth, and Blodgett Hospitals.
