Donna Marie Morgan- Boyle

Donna Marie Morgan-Boyle was born on Thursday, May 3, 1934 at 4:00am to James and Pauline Morgan in Virgil, South Dakota. She grew up with five brothers, Duane aka Mike, Kenneth aka Pat, James, Richard and Gerald (Jerry). At about nine years of age she assumed the role of caretaker of the younger boys as her mother was hospitalized for a mental condition and Donna felt obligated to continue this role thru the years.

After graduation from high school in Willow Lake, South Dakota, Donna went on to complete nurses training. Her career began in nursing in South Dakota and Montana before moving to San Diego where she was a dedicated and caring nurse in Pediatrics and then in Orthopedics where she would spend the balance of her career at Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest as the Nursing Supervisor of the 11th floor. Donna made many life long friendships at Mercy and she has now joined many of her nursing sisters in heaven. MaryGrace Gibbons, Anne Troupe and Mary McCarty to name a few. She and Mary went to nursing training together and the two of them were lifelong friends and spent the entire career at Mercy as nurses.

Donna liked sports and participated in many. Her favorites included basketball, softball, golf, bowling and lawn bowling . She met her life partner, Frank Boyle, in her later years playing golf and they were married for a few good years before Frank passed away. They were able to spend some time traveling and playing golf – many great stories were shared with family and friends about the time she and Frank spent together. She also enjoyed gardening – a passion that she kept up until she moved into Nazareth House in 2024. Donna also enjoyed traveling, from all over the United States and Canada, to Mexico and Europe. She took a few cruises during the years and always found beauty in the people and areas she visited. She spent a lot of time with her cousin Kathy Jensen and took many of these trips together enjoying the sights and scenes along the way.

Donna spent her 91 years devoted to her faith and treating people with kindness and compassion. She always was there to lend a helping hand and volunteered whenever she could. She spent several years as part of the Lady’s Guild at Father Joe’s Villages and had so many great memories of giving tours , to volunteering at the holidays to help with the many programs Father Joe’s offered the public.

Donna is survived by her brother Jim. The whereabouts of her brother Richard are not known. Nephews John, Thomas and Patrick and nieces Pamela and Siobhan. Her nephew Michael predeceased her. She was surrounded by many friends and during the last several years of her life, her neighbors Sister Susan DeGuide and Rose Chavez along with her Goddaughter, Patricia Meredith were there to help her navigate the challenges of aging – which she did with grace and humility. She will be missed by her family and friends. Rest in Peace Donna Marie, we will take it from here.

An Irish blessing from Brother Jim:

“May the wind be at your back, the sun shine warm upon your face and until we meet again may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”

A funeral mass for Donna will be held Wednesday, August 27, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá, 10818 San Diego Mission Rd, San Diego, CA 92108. Following the funeral mass will be a graveside service from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM at Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum, 4470 Hilltop Dr, San Diego, CA 92102.