M. Clare Doyle passed away peacefully in Meredith, NH on Monday, May 16, 2016. She lived life to the fullest during her incredible 103 years. Clare was born in Woonsocket, RI on August 16, 1912. She graduated from the Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing.
Clare entered the US Army Nurse Corps in 1944 and saw two tours of duty in Germany, one in Korea, and many in the US. She retired from the Army in 1964. She then worked at Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI as Associate Director of Nursing. She retired from Miriam in 1974 and was honored with the Mary Clare Doyle lecture series held in her honor each year during Nurses Week.
Clare and her sister, Eileen Hurley, summered in Mattapoisett for many years and moved to Mattapoisett full-time in 1976. She was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church where she was also a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Women’s Guild. Clare was awarded the Marian Medal in 1982 from the Diocese of Fall River. She moved to Meredith, NH in 2009 and enjoyed many happy years with family there.
Clare was a member of the Rhode Island Hospital Alumni Association, the Retired Army Nurse Corps, and the Florence Eastman Post #280 of the American Legion.
Clare was sister to the late Edward J. Doyle, K. Eileen Hurley, J. Noel Doyle, and Charles V. Doyle. She is survived by many much-loved nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett on Monday, May 23, 2016 at 10 AM. Calling hours will be on Sunday, May 22, 2016 from 3-5 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. Burial will be in St. Charles Cemetery, Blackstone, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Central NH VNA and Hospice, 780 N. Main St., Laconia, NH 03246; http://www.centralvna.org/ or to the American Legion – Florence Eastman Post #280, P.O.Box 738, Mattapoisett, MA 02379. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.