Mary Frances Boyle

Mary Frances “Molly” Boyle, 49, passed away after a long illness at her home in Santa Monica, CA, on May 26, 2021. She faced illness bravely for five years, with her beloved life partner Michael Epstein and stepson Max at her side.

Molly grew up in Easton, MA, and attended Middlebury College (BA, American Studies) and the University of Michigan (MA, American Culture). In 1995, while in graduate school, Molly met Michael, the love of her life, on the Frisbee fields of Ann Arbor, MI. Together, Molly and Michael explored Michigan by bicycle, hiked the Isle of Skye, roughed it in Maine, and relaxed with friends at her little house near the ocean in Scituate, MA. In 2011, she moved out to California to be with Michael, and helped raise Max, whom she watched grow up into a young man. Molly was devoted to Max, attending baseball games and violin recitals, assisting with homework and countless creative projects, choosing and reading books with him, and more. She loved to prepare gourmet dinners; play games of all kinds; garden; watch sports (for Max, she abandoned her beloved Red Sox for the Dodgers, but turned Max and Michael into Patriots fans) and was constantly learning new things. Together with Michael and Max—and joined later by their dog Jangles—Molly lived a life of sun and snow, taking family adventures to Hawaii, Quebec, Los Cabos, Lake Arrowhead, San Francisco, San Diego, Palm Springs and Gold Rush Country; and visits to National Parks such as Lassen-Volcanoes, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequoia-King’s Canyon and Grand Canyon.

Professionally, Molly was a leader in the movement to provide students with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to attend college, not in special education programs, but by full participation in the higher education experience. At Massachusetts Bay Community College and later at the Institute for Community Inclusion based at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, she fought to make learning accessible for students with intellectual disabilities so they could become intellectually and socially independent. In particular, Molly was a star in the field of “universal design for learning,” traveling nationally and internationally to teach faculty members and instructors how to transform their curricula and use multidisciplinary learning tools, including the latest technology. It was a measure of her success in the field that the University asked Molly to continue full-time as a telecommuter after she relocated to the west coast. Molly’s passion for her work, her engaging manner, warmth and natural wisdom made her a persuasive and inspirational speaker who was in high demand. Her pioneering work had far reaching influence beyond the disability world; Her creative approaches to learning have helped expand the range of teaching methods for students of all abilities.

In addition to Michael and Max, Molly is survived by Mary-Ellen Boyle and Brian O'Hare, Joanne Boyle, Jack Boyle, Dan and Liz Boyle, Jerry and Lani Boyle, Margaret Boyle and Terry Carbone, Paula Boyle and Mark Stoddard as well as Nadine Epstein and John O’Leary, Donald and Jeanne Epstein, Marcy Epstein and many nieces, nephews, great nephews and great nieces; and dear friends and colleagues throughout the county. A celebration of her life will be held at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Molly to support the work of Massachusetts Advocates for Children at

https://massadvocates.networkforgood.com/projects/121510-donate-to-mac.

Please leave a note in the “Donor Scroll” that the gift is in memory of Molly. Checks can be sent to

Massachusetts Advocates for Children

25 Kingston, #2F

Boston, MA 02111