Barbara Ann Doyle

November 20,1928 - July 19,2025

“The family that prays together, stays together”

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” ~ Ephesians 2:10

Barbara Ann Bauer Doyle was born November 20,1928 in Milwaukee, WI, and cared for by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul sisters in a Milwaukee orphanage and lovingly adopted by George & Clara Bauer. Raised an only child and deeply loved by her faithful and gracious parents, Barbara’s red curls were adored by her dad, carefully tended by her mom and loving aunt who lived in the upstairs apartment of her parents home. Baptized Barbara Ann, she was a lifelong Catholic - a faithful follower of Jesus to the very end. She graduated high school from Holy Angels Academy in 1946 where she made and maintained lifelong friends. She loved shopping trips to the city with her mother and attending Chicago Cubs baseball games with her father, (teaching more than one grandchild how to keep a box score.) Her first (and only) paying job was at Spic and Span Cleaners in Milwaukee, where she worked under the tutelage of an efficiency expert. She so enjoyed that. She enrolled and started post high school studies at Marquette University. It was there her life took a different trajectory when she met Jim Doyle standing in a registration line. Recently returned injured from Iwo Jima, they started dating immediately, and were married on December 2, 1950. Their sacramental life was built on prayer, laughter, parish life, volunteer commitments and the priority was always their children. While Jim built his career at Emery Air Freight, Barbara kept the home fires burning: meals (there was always room at the table for more to join), activity schedules, correspondence, friends and balancing a check book while boiling spaghetti with a phone under her neck. In between the babies, there were moves. Their life together included multiple moves due to Jim’s career advancements. They lived in Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Chicago Heights (IL), Bay Village (OH), Dallas (TX), Norwalk (CT) and then back to Dallas. As soon as boxes were unpacked and the initial grocery run had been made, the next stop was the local parish where Mom and Dad registered and over coffee and donuts and post mass visiting on the church steps, they began making friends and plunged directly into Parish activities. Little did they know the legacy of love and service they would leave behind. Fr. Charlie Sellars who they ‘adopted’ along the way used to say “Look what the two of you started.”

“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it” ~ Proverbs 22:6

Barbara & Jim accepted with love God’s precious gifts: 6 beautiful children: Jim (Jill), Tom (Ann), Mary (Greg), Ann (Rodney), Pat (Dianne) and Katie (Kevin). Their fourth pregnancy, a stillborn daughter, Theresa, is memorialized on the St Rita statue of the Good Shepherd. They took the role of parenting seriously, and succeeded beyond measure! She was so proud of and dearly loved her 18 grandchildren and 43 great grandchildren - with 2 on the way! She was involved in every aspect of her kids’ lives - homeroom mom, lunchroom volunteer, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout den leader and countless hours of assisting with school projects! Every birthday and anniversary was remembered by a card, phone call or an email. She was thoughtful and loving to the end. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy. Oh how she loved spending time with them creating memories together: annual cookie painting, puzzles, rummikub, summer sleepovers, attending performances, recitals, half-time shows, and sporting events. Even attending a 24 hours of Lemons car race! She was spunky.

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” ~ Matthew 25:23

Barbara’s life was marked by love and serving others. She was kind, gracious, hospitable and always willing to step in and help. Her many service/ volunteer involvements included: Meals on Wheels, volunteer at Children’s Medical Center, reception desk at Reading and Radio Resource, taught sewing classes at Marillac Center, and PTA president. But her greatest joy was found serving at the many parishes she and Jim attended, especially St. Rita Catholic Community. She could be found assisting in so many ways: Sunday dinners with priests, opening their home to less fortunate, Eucharist Minister, lectoring at daily mass, Montserrat retreat captain (ensuring every room was full), Intermezzo organizer, member of Holy Spirit Circle, volunteer in the rosary making ministry, ironing for the Linen ministry, and countless hours of unseen contributions when asked. Her faithful service as the hands and feet of Jesus to so many earned her the Bishop’s Award for Service in 2014.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. ~ Psalm 34:8

Family and friends alike were blessed by Barbara’s fun loving spirit. She loved to play Bridge, work puzzles, watch Wheel of Fortune, dine with friends, play games on her iPad, travel with Jim as well as her girlfriends - she especially loved cruises! She always looked forward to returning to her roots in Wisconsin to spend time with Jim’s sister, Jane (who affectionately called her “Barbie doll”) and her many nieces and nephews. One of her favorite calendar events was the weekly gathering of the Culture Club - what a special bond there was amongst this group of long-time friends from St. Rita! Her love of life and joy in each new day was infectious and felt by all who knew her. She loved well to the end and when you told her “I love you” she would quickly reply, “I love you more.”

If she was writing this herself, she’d probably tell all of you:

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace” ~ Numbers 6:24-26

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to:

The White Rose, 4313 North Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75205

Montserrat Retreat House, 600 N. Shady Shores Rd., Lake Dallas, TX 75065

Catholic Pro-Life Community, P.O. Box 803541, Dallas, TX 75380