Dorothy Marie Boyack

Dorothy Marie Nielsen Boyack, always known as Dot, passed away peacefully among family on February 5th, 2022. Six weeks earlier she had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer which spread throughout her body.

Dot entered stage left on August 29th, 1939 in Murray, Utah to David Stjerne Nielsen and Ruth Norvell Nielsen. When Dot was five they moved to California and began a life in Pasadena where Dot grew to love reading, acting, sunshine, and the beach. She very much wanted a sibling and her wish was granted with the birth of her brother Ed.

Dot loved the theatre and acting. She began this lifelong career at the age of six at the Glendale Centre Theatre in California, and grew up performing alongside her mother, the Hale family, and her dearest, lifelong friend, Sherry Hale Brian. She acted throughout her Pasadena school years and summers home from college. She loved school and was always a little sad when summer rolled around. In 1957 she graduated from Pasadena High School with academic, service, and drama awards.

Dot was then off to Provo, Utah and Brigham Young University. A lead role in an intense dramatic production, unusual for a freshman, highlighted her acting career there. She relished a last-minute call to fill in for the school mascot Cosmo during a home football game, running up and down the field and cavorting with the band during the halftime show. Loving her time at BYU, Dot made the most of it involving herself in student government and an active social life.

She had never considered teaching, but towards the end of college Dot realized that she might enjoy passing on her love of acting to others. She graduated with a BA in Theatre and a minor in English in 1961 and taught English at Bryant Jr. High in Salt Lake City, UT, which evolved into writing, producing, and directing a student assembly every other week and directing two major productions a year.

Her second year of teaching, Wayne Boyack began dating Dot in earnest and in May of 1963 they became engaged. On August 16th, 1963 Dot married the lucky fellow in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They moved to Seattle where Wayne began law school at the University of Washington. A first child arrived a couple years later, followed by seven more. Wayne and Dot settled in the Magnolia neighborhood to raise their family.

During these years Dot found multiple opportunities to share her love of theatre with others, directing road shows, plays, and musicals for her church and other community organizations. Highlights of her teaching years included her Seattle First Ward seminary students and her years at The Overlake School, a private college prep school in Redmond. There, she taught English, history, and - of course - drama for 10 years. She was born to teach: it was her calling and she was extremely gifted at it. She wrote, “Besides home, I’m happiest on a stage or in a classroom.”

After their time in Magnolia, the family made its way to Issaquah, and then when all the kids had flown the nest, to Bellevue and then Mukilteo. Wherever she went, Dot was constantly touching lives for good. Throughout their lives Dot and Wayne made dear friends and touched others with their love and service. Dot loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and was dedicated to the Savior. She served in many positions at church, but her favorites by far involved teaching, mentoring, and guiding the youth.

“Dodger Dot” had a lifelong love of baseball and her L.A. team, instilled by her parents. She was a voracious reader and lifelong learner. She found joy in the color yellow, surprises, gourmet cooking for others, flowers, the beach, sunshine, collecting shells, and beautiful shoes. Her greatest loves by far, though, were her husband, her children, and grandchildren. Dot cherished her role as a mother and was so grateful to have her wish for children and a vibrant family life fulfilled.

Dot is survived by her husband of 58 years, M. Wayne Boyack, her eight children: Jennifer (Sandy), Andrew (Jen), Peter (Kendra), David (Anne), Nathan (Gwen), Katie (Nathan), John, and Sally (Tim), her brother, David Edward Nielsen, as well as thirty grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

A private family graveside service takes place February 18th. An open memorial service will be held Saturday, February 19th at noon at the Everett Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9509 19th Avenue SE, Everett, WA 98208, with a reception following. Masks required. The family suggests contributions in Dot’s honor be made to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

For those unable to attend in person, the zoom link for the memorial service for Dot Boyack on Feb 19, 2022 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) is below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://zoom.us/j/98865203617

Or One tap mobile :

US: +12532158782,,98865203617# or +16699006833,,98865203617#

Or Telephone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1 253 215 8782 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799

Webinar ID: 988 6520 3617

International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/a3WFvYZYt

Flowers, for the service on Saturday February 19, 2022, will need to be delivered to Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home by Friday February 18, 2022. The address is as follows:

Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home

11111 Aurora Ave N

Seattle, WA. 98133

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com for the Boyack family.