Helen M. Doyle

Captain Helen M. Doyle, BSN, RN-C, USAF

Helen was born in Providence, RI on February 24, 1935. She was the daughter of Maud G. (Sargent) Grover and Luther W. Grover. Helen was predeceased by her three sisters, Doris M. (Grover) Mitcham, and her husband Frank, Marjorie N. Grover and Eileen E. (Grover) Borden, and her husband Robert. She was also predeceased in death by her husband of 48 years, Michael A. Doyle.

She was raised in Attleboro, MA, attending school there and graduating from Attleboro High School in 1953. Helen graduated from the Sturdy Memorial School of Nursing in 1956. She worked as an RN at Sturdy Memorial Hospital from 1956-1964. She worked briefly at the VA Hospital in Providence, RI. Helen joined

The Players of the Second Congregational Church Theater Group in 1964. She had the starring role in the play "The Wooden Dish." She was always very proud of her performance.

Helen enlisted in the USAF in 1964 and did her basic training at Brook AFB in TX. She graduated from the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine completing the Flight Nurse Course on December 3, 1965. She was also stationed at USAF Joint Base in North Charleston, SC. From there she was deployed to Torrejon AFB, just outside Madrid, Spain. There she worked as a flight nurse, specializing in pediatrics. Before Helen left for Spain, while she was still a student at the Sturdy Memorial School of Nursing, she had become friends with a Priest named Father Maxfield.

He worked out of the National Shrine of Our Lady of LaSalette. He and other priests from The Shrine would visit the patients at the hospital. He had connections with the Mission of St. Vincent Pallotti in Rome, Italy. Upon receiving the news that Helen would be stationed in Spain, he was able to arrange for Helen to stay with The Pallottine Missionary Sisters at The Vatican. Helen spent three nights at The Vatican with the Sisters. She ate her meals with the Sisters, and was even given her own key so she could come and go as she pleased. It was an amazing experience.

Captain Doyle participated in Emergency Air Evacuation missions as needed while stationed in Torrejon Air Force Base, Spain October 1966-April 1967. While visiting a patient with a commanding officer, she saw a patient that worked the entry gates. When he saw Helen he said, "Lieutenant Fisk! I know you!" The commander wanted to know how he knew her. The patient replied that she always speeds around the base and doesn't stop and look both ways! The Commander said that he should be giving her tickets for that! He replied, "Oh no. It's Lieutenant Fisk!" Helen was on the telephone in the BOQ talking with a friend that was planning a visit. Helen asked her friend to bring some milk! The Commander overheard her request and asked her why she needed milk. Helen replied that the milk available tasted horrible! He said that he had two quarts of milk leftover, but they were located on a nearby plane.

The Commander gave her the tag numbers. So, she went down to Bass Ops and went through the gate. She found the plane, went on and retrieved the two-quart glass bottles of the milk. As she emerged from the plane in her mini skirt, white boots and arms full of milk bottles, she was surrounded by three AP trucks wondering who she was and what she was doing on the military airplane!

While stationed at Torrejon AFB, Helen took her father, Luther Grover, on a month-long trip to Africa in 1968. They visited Mzimba Springs in Nairobi, the area where the late Walt Disney filmed the movie "African Lion". From there, they crossed the border into Tanzania, went to the Serengeti National Park, and spent a day in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and then overnight on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. Their trip also included exploring Ethiopia, Uganda, and an African Safari in Kenya before returning back to Spain.

After Helen left Torrejon AFB, she was then stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Fairborn, OH.

Helen had first met her future husband, Michael A. Doyle, when they were both stationed in Spain. They reconnected while stationed at Wright-Patt. They married on September 5, 1969, and were married 48 years until his death May 16, 2018. She graduated from the USAF Medical Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base completing the General Therapy Nurse Practitioner Course from December 21, 1970-June 21, 1971. Helen trained with NASA from October 24, 1972, to December 8, 1972. She was part of a study to see how women performed during zero gravity. She flew from Wright-Patterson AFB to Orlando, FL and Houston, TX during the training. She received multiple letters of recommendation and acknowledgment from Majors and Colonels commending

Captain Doyle on the exemplary medical care they personally received under her care. Captain Doyle was the proud recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and the Air Force Longevity Service Award with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster. Helen achieved the status of Captain while serving in the USAF from November 11, 1964, until her honorable discharge on May 29, 1973. Helen attended Wright State University earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and she became American Nurses Credential Center Certified as a Psychiatric Nurse September 1978 - December 1982. After leaving the USAF, Helen continued her career as an RN. In July 1982, she began working as a Charge Nurse and then transferred over to and specialized in the Chemical Dependency Unit at Greene Memorial Hospital in Xenia, Ohio until August 1985.

She then took a job at Charter Hospital in LaGrange, Kentucky in September 1985 heading the Chemical Dependency Unit there until February 1988. Her career brought her back to Ohio, working at Harding Hospital in Worthington, OH from March 1988 until January 1998. There she headed the Psychiatric and Chemical Dependency Units. She specialized in working with children, adolescents and adults. She coordinated their care in crisis situations and developed their care plans. She was an instructor of both medical and ancillary employees of Harding Hospital, stressing nonviolent crisis intervention. She received her Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Certification as a Crisis Prevention Institute Certified Instructor December 1994. September 1998,

Helen worked as a substitute School Nurse in the Dublin, OH school district as well as working for the Columbus Ohio Health Department as a part time Immunization Nurse at various walk-in clinics.

Before retiring, Helen ended her career at Montevista Hospital in Las Vegas, NV. There she called on her expertise by creating an education program for the adult psychiatric patients. She was a valued resource as a teacher, a coach and a counselor and was nominated for the Behavioral Health Nurse of the Year.

Helen always took great pride in caring for others, especially children. Helen loved traveling and reading books. She vacationed in Ireland and Hawaii, to name a few. Her favorite books were autobiographies, nonfiction and history. She was extremely well read, articulate and loved stimulating conversation. She also loved animals, especially her Poodle Jason, her Dachshund Livvy, her Chihuahua Maddie, and her three adopted dog friends Hunter, Holly, and Theo.

Helen is survived by her caregiver and niece Susan Magro and her husband Mario. Her nephew Robert Mitcham and his wife Debbie, Robert David Borden, Steven Ide and her niece Dianne Tedesco and her companion Don. Four Great nieces, Jenny Wilson and her husband Donny, Krista Mershimer and her husband Rob, Amy Neel and her husband Pat and their daughter Sophie, Alyssa Magro and four Great nephews Billy Ross, Matt Mitcham and his wife Lynn, her daughter Rhiley, Mark Mitcham and Anthony Tedesco.

She was especially fond of her Great- great nephew Gavin Mershimer and her Great-great niece Cassidy Mershimer. She loved watching them grow and play, and she especially loved their hugs and kisses.

Helen also leaves a daughter, Sarah, and two granddaughters, Kaitlyn and Morgan in MI.

She was the aunt of her late nephew, Thomas Uhlig and her late niece, Kathi Borden.

Visitation with Veterans Honors will be held on Saturday, August 30, 3025, from 9:00 am until 11:00 am in the "Memorial Chapel" of the Dyer-Lake Funeral Home, 161 Commonwealth Avenue, North Attleboro, MA immediately followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00 am in the "Memorial Chapel".

Burial with Military Honors will follow in North Purchase Cemetery, Attleboro, MA.

www.dyer-lakefuneralhome.com (508) 695-0200