Sally Ann Doyle

1934-2023

Sally Ann Doyle went to Heaven to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 16, 2023.

She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 2, 1934. Her father was a trouble-shooter for Walgreen Drugstores, and the family moved around for his job. Her desire from an early age was to be a ballet dancer, and she studied in Columbia, S.C. and Roanoke, VA. She was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia when she was 12 years old.

Sally Ann attended Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia for three years. She danced professionally in an outdoor symphonic drama about the American Revolution entitled "The Common Glory," where she met Peter Reese Doyle, whom she married on August 13, 1955. They were missionaries with the Episcopal Church in Liberia, West Africa for several years, before moving to Basel, Switzerland for Peter's doctoral studies in theology. Their son Jonathan was born in Basel. Peter served in the Episcopal pastorate at churches in Leesburg, VA, where their daughter Susan was born, and later in Rock Hill, SC.

They joined the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) at its founding in Birmingham, AL, and subsequently served churches there and in Auburn, AL, in Nashville, TN, and in Opelika, AL. Sally Ann completed her bachelor's degree at Auburn University, taught ballet in Opelika, conducted the Childrens' Choir at Trinity Presbyterian Church and sang with the East Alabama Civic Chorale as well as her church choir.

Her bright and cheerful spirit encouraged her family and her friends.

Sally Ann is survived by her husband, Peter Reese Doyle, her son Jonathan and his wife Kristin, her daughter Susan and her husband Kevin, her grandchildren: Frances Chan and her husband Joe, Constance Bleeker and her husband Maxim, Edward Doyle, Alexandra Purvis-Smith and her husband Josh, Ransom Purvis, and her great grandson Oleg Bleeker. She was preceded in death by her great-granddaughter Lucy Bleeker.

Her memorial service will be conducted at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Opelika, AL, on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 12 noon.