Barbara Boyle

Barbara J. (Gillespie) Boyle passed away Tuesday, September 16, 2025. She was born at Hamot Hospital, Erie PA August 22, 1933, daughter of the late Dr. Gillespie, an obstetrician who delivered many babies in Erie from the 1930s-1972 and Marion Beulens (Saurborn) Gillespie.

Barbara was preceded in death by her father, James Totman Gillespie MD; mother, Marion Beulens Gillespie (nee Saurborn); as well as her older sister, Virginia Hall (Norman); former husband, Hal Boyle; younger sister, Shirley Sandstrom (Paul); brother; James Totman Gillespie Jr. (Shirley); and many aunts and uncles including such notable Erie figures as Jeanette Saurborn, who taught physiology in NYC and Los Angeles (UCLA); James "Jimmy" Saurborn (Isabelle) who owned a local Erie gas station; and Johnny Gillespie (Marjorie), long time Strong Vincent HS teacher and principal. Her mother was active in many Erie women's groups.

Barbara accepted Jesus at the early age of five years old, and her faith sustained and supported her throughout her life. In her final years, she resolved her disappointments in life through her faith and was filled with light and at peace in her final years. Barbara lived the majority of her life in Erie with a few years in Newport News, VA during WWII, and attended college at Syracuse, NY. In 1954, Barbara married Hugh Halsey Boyle, also of Erie, PA. She was a graduate of Case Western Reserve after beginning college at Syracuse with a focus on art, and became a school art teacher in Maple Heights, OH while Hal completed medical school. She illustrated a physiology book for children written by her aunt, Jeanette Saurborn. Her young married life was spent in Cleveland OH. Hal and Barb had three children, Cathy Boyle of Chambersburg, PA, Bruce Boyle (Sharina) of Wichita KS and Patrick Boyle of Wichita KS. They spent a few years in Waukegan IL, Lawton OK, and Nashville TN where her youngest son was born. The Boyle family settled in Wichita, KS. Barbara returned to Erie in 1981. She earned an Associate Degree from the Erie Business Center and worked as a medical transcriptionist. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant and a longtime member of the downtown Erie YMCA. Barbara truly enjoyed singing with others and reading. She read the Erie newspaper everyday and got her exercise with regular long walks along State Street.

She is survived by her three children; three grandchildren, Jackson Nicholas and Samuel Prescott Boyle, and Faith Runyon (Sam); and four step-grandchildren, Caleb, Reagan, Reese, and Isaac Cowden. She is also survived by nine nieces and nephews, Gregory Gillespie Hall of San Fernando, CA, Bob Fields (Kathy) of Murraysville, PA, Steven Sanders (Yum) of Wellsville, NY, Eric Sandstrom (Thillai) of Gerrardstown, WV, John Sandstrom (Sabine) of West Chester, PA, Dawn Fields of Donora, PA, Shelly Dunne (Barry) of Wellsville, NY, Mark Sandstrom of Erie, PA and Kris Schreel (Chris) of Kettering, OH and their 18 children, and three grandchildren.

Barbara will be cremated at Dusckas Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 2607 Buffalo Rd., Erie, PA. A Celebration of Life will be held at a location and date to be announced by her family and Barbara's remains will be interred in the Erie Cemetery next to her parents. Per Barbara's wishes, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 1512, Chicago, IL 60693. Condolences may be sent to dusckasfuneralhomes.com