Mary Veronica Doyle

Mary Veronica Doyle, spirited, generous and ever optimistic wife, mother and caregiver, was born Mary Flaherty, the second of eleven children. Mary and her siblings were children of Michael Flaherty and Delia O’Malley Flaherty, both immigrants from County Galway, Ireland. All eleven children were born in Saint Joseph’s Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota between 1914 and 1929. All, except Irene, who died as a young child, attended and graduated from Saint Patrick’s grade school. While Mary's childhood was generally happy, if not always easy, she often recalled a lasting trauma from childhood, of falling into the cavity of the outhouse. The fire department was called to her rescue, and on the way to the home, a fireman fell from the truck and died from his injuries. Mary carried the sorrow for the loss of his life throughout her life. The Flaherty family was tight knit, and family life was filled with love and great times, especially on birthdays, Christmas and other occasions. Mary loved to ice skate, and didn't remember that winters in St. Paul were so harsh. About the time Mary graduated from St. Patrick’s, her Mother was stricken with Tuberculosis, which kept her confined to both home and hospital. As the oldest daughter, the house hold duties of a Mother fell to Mary, going to High School at night and caring for the youngest of the children and doing the cooking, laundry, ironing and housework during the day. Mary continued this responsibility for the next nine and one half years. Upon her Mother's death at age 44, Mary became more of a parent to her siblings than a sister. Mary’s father Michael, was always employed, so despite the hardships due to her Mother’s illness and early death, the Flaherty family had a sense of security and stability. In addition to her own immediate family, Mary helped feed and shelter others during the depression while their families recovered from economic hardship. Later in life while living in Gardena, Ca.,, Mary sheltered and fed several refugees from Viet Nam until they gained their footing in their new country. Mary was always generous with her time and her possessions, and never showed any regret for giving to others, regardless of the outcome. Recreation and social life were not entirely sacrificed between 1932 and 1942. Mary was quite a “hitter” at slow pitch soft ball. She also pitched soft ball in the St. Paul city league for girls. In grade school during a softball game, Father Lee came rushing out from his dinner, calling, “who broke my window?” Mary, in great fear, climbed the 25 steps to receive her assigned punishment. Instead, the good pastor gave her a 50 cent piece to reward her achievement. Mary had many happy days and nights as a member of a catholic youth club for men and ladies. Horseback riding, picnics, dancing were all joyful times for Mary and her friends. No wall flower, Mary, with a little prodding from her younger brother Mike, accepted invitations to proms from Cretin High School cadets. For about a year, 1939-1940, Mary worked as a nurse’s aide at the Miller Hospital in St. Paul. Running and walking to and from the job and keeping the house and family together became too much for Mary and she decided to stay at home. During this time, when walking home up the long Jackson Street hill, Mary came upon some ruffians beating up her brother Mike outside the infamous “Bucket of Blood” bar. Mike credits Mary with saving his life, as she walloped the attackers with a large jar of cold cream, knocking them silly long enough for Mike and Mary to make their get-away. Because Mary had rheumatic fever and spent the better part of a year in St. Joseph’ s hospital, Vince, her future husband, didn’t even know of her while in grade school. Vince did know her oldest brother Tom, being in the same classroom every other year and says he certainly would have noticed Mary had she not been out of school from either illness or in order to manage the household. So, it wasn’t until 1938 after three years with the 35th infantry in the Hawaiian Division, that Vincent met Mary. They met at a picnic at White Fish Lake that was attended by both families. Through eleven dates over the next four year, they got to know each other and decided to marry. Vince wrote to Mary’s father, while Vince was a flying cadet at Lowry Field, Denver, asking him for his blessing of their engagement. While Pa Flaherty never responded, Vince always thought they were good friends, even drinking boiler makers together one time. But Vince says some of that changed, the day Pa Flaherty found out that Vince was a Republican. Regardless, Vince says that Pa was always civil and the epitome of a “gentle man”. Mary recalled being on the train in St. Paul, leaving to marry Vince, and her father on the train crying and begging her not to go. The conductor was sure she’d get off with her father, but her resolve was strong. They were married on June 6, 1942, in the Chapel at Luke Field, Arizona. There was a wedding breakfast of oatmeal and pancakes at the Officer’s Club. No family members were in attendance. Travel, frequent moving and separation were the expectations of service families during WWII and the Doyle’s experience was no different. Vince trained as a navigator and bombardier in the Army Air Corps and was stationed, shortly before and during the early stages of World War II ( December 7, 1941 ) , at the following locales : Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, Brady Texas, Lowry Field , Colorado, Pittsburgh Kansas, Stuttgart, Arkansas, Monroe Louisiana (where Mary and Vince’s son, John Andrew Doyle, was born November 24, 1943) Roswell New Mexico, and Columbia South Carolina, before Vince left for China. After the war in 1947, Mary and John joined Vince in Tachikawa, Japan during the occupation. Mary recalls the poverty of the Japanese at that time, and having several house boys and maids, feeding them and sharing clothing with them as well. She had no patience for General McArthur who made everyone wait and stop the work of the day while he rode through the towns. In 1948, when Vince left active service, they lived on the Kennedy family farm in Credit River, Mn. and later the farm campus of the University of Minnesota while Vince completed his education. The family moved to California when Vince began working for North American Aviation. During part of the time there in Gardena Calif., Mary worked in quality control for Hughes Aircraft company. But her real fame came from her sewing skills and in fact she spent some time in Gardena teaching sewing, crocheting and knitting to grateful students. Mary made afghans and slippers for everyone she knew, giving many to charity. Mary and Vince moved to San Diego in the late 70’s, eventually retiring in 1984. During their years in San Diego, they hosted their grandchildren Stephen and Katharine during several summers, providing them with many exciting and enriching activities. They also hosted many nieces and nephews, and many friends and relatives who enjoyed Mary's unending hospitality, as well as the California experience. Despite her aversion to travel, Mary traveled with Vince and others to Mexico, Japan, Spain, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Ireland, and England and took the Chunnel to France to visit a WWII cemetery. Mary claims her greatest joys were the end of WWII, her family and grandchildren, and especially when her son returned from Viet Nam, despite being severely injured. In 1994 Mary and Vincent returned to their beloved St. Paul, to be near John and Laura, and the grandchildren. Vincent was losing his sight, but re-learned the bus routes as Mary was no longer able to drive. They reconnected with many old friends from the old neighborhoods and schools, and Mary often commented on the changes and growth of the city, but also continued to recall the good times she had growing up in this city. Mary continued to sew, mending relatives clothes when asked, but also became known for her "Almond Bread", (Biscotti) and always had some ready for delivery people, and of course friends and relatives. Vince and Mary moved to the Marion Center Apartments in the late summer of 2005. Sadly, Vince died on May 17, 2006 and Mary entered nursing care for her memory loss at that time. Mary has lived at Presbyterian Homes of Arden Hills since late summer, 2006, where she received tender and loving care from all there until her death December 23, 2011.