MIDDLETON- Mary Carol (Ripple) Boyle, age 65, of Middleton, lost her 10+ year battle with early onset Alzheimer’s disease on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at Brookdale Stonefield Memory Care Facility. She was surrounded by family.
Mary Carol was born on Dec. 23, 1952, in West Bend, Wis. , to Mary Anne (Van Driel) and Donald Ripple; she was the third of seven children.
The Ripple family moved to Madison in 1965 and Mary attended Queen of Peace School and Edgewood High School. She began her college… Read More » career as a dance major at UW, but soon got into MATC’s dental hygiene school and decided that was a more reasonable future. Mary married John Boyle (Hall of Fame basketball coach) in Madison on July 24, 1976; they had a daughter and two sons.
After a short stint in Toledo, Ohio, the family moved back to Middleton, Wis. for good. Mary attended every single one of her husband’s and sons’ basketball games throughout the years – hundreds, maybe thousands.
She hid in the concession stand because she couldn’t take the stress of watching, but she was there! And when her daughter moved to San Francisco after college, Mary made the huge sacrifice of visiting every two months, just to make sure she didn’t get homesick. Mary was a very dedicated and much-loved dental hygienist around the Madison area.
She loved her huge family more than anything. She loved to travel with her husband (especially to Lake Esadore, Mackinac Island, and St. Pete Beach), take bike rides, and walk through the Pheasant Branch Conservatory. Mary never said “no” to anyone, was quick to give a smile, loved to be silly, and had the most amazing laugh.
Red wine got her through the worst of times (and the best), and she believed chocolate was a food group. Mary was always singing soul music, Motown, Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen. She had a terrible potty mouth, which her kids loved so much.
Mary is survived by her devoted husband, John; daughter, Haley (Reggie Williams); two sons, Danny (Kristina) and Tone; her mother, Mary Anne Ripple;all six of her siblings and their spouses; a sister in-law and brother in-law and their spouses; and many nieces and nephews (22 of them! ). She is preceded in death by her father, Donald Ripple; in-laws, Jack and Edith Boyle; and nephew, Andy Ripple.
A visitation will be held at NAKOMA GOLF CLUB, 4145 Country Club Rd, Madison, on Thursday, Nov. 8th, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. There will be a private service at Our Lady Queen of Peace. The family would like to extend a very special thank you to those that have helped us care for Mary, especially in the last four years, when Alzheimer’s took over all our lives.
To work at a memory care facility, you must be a special kind of angel – but that doesn’t begin to describe how amazing the staff at Brookdale Stonefield has been. Agrace HospiceCare was also instrumental in Mary’s care, which in turn allowed her concerned family to sleep at night; especially Jalissa and Dan who watched over Mary as if she was one of their own. Finally, the Alzheimer’s Association staff has provided endless res and support.
We are forever grateful, words simply cannot describe our appreciation for you all. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the South Central, Wis. Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association or to The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.
Online condolences may be made at www. gundersonfh.com. Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Care 7435 University Ave.
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