Edward Joseph Doyle

Doyle, Edward J., was born in Providence in 1924; he was the son of the late Patrick J. and Elizabeth M. (Scully) Doyle. He was the husband of Natalie (Rodgers) Doyle and the late Virginia (Prior) Doyle, and resided in Seminole, Florida. He was the former Mayor of East Providence, RI and had been an electrician for Brown & Sharpe for 42-years and more recently the Assistant Manager of the Tides Golf Club. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving with the Battery C 635th Infantry Anti-aircraft Company and was awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal. "Pa," as he was affectionately known to his family, was a father of seven children, Thomas P. Doyle, Margaret E. Rivard, Mary E. Seger, Edward J. Doyle Jr., Rita A. Kenahan, Kathleen P. Harrington, and Joseph A. Doyle. He has twelve grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He was also the step-father of W. Clifton Rodgers and Cheri L. Drake. He is survived by a brother Robert P. Doyle of Langhorne, PA and was a brother of the late Thomas J. Doyle, John F. Doyle, and Raymond Doyle. Edward Doyle assisted in the founding of the Riverside Little League and started a youth football team. He became President of the International Association of Machinists union and was a member of The Knights of Columbus. He sang baritone in a barbershop quartet and enjoyed a good horse race. During his tenure as Mayor, he was instrumental in the construction of a new City Hall and Police headquarters. He had the foresight to preserve an historic 19th century site—Crescent Park with its hand-carved wooden carousel. He was also visionary in helping to acquire an unused railroad line that ran from the eighteen century shipping destination, India Point, in Providence, along Narragansett Bay, through East Providence to Bristol, RI, thereby establishing the East-Bay trail. He died surrounded by his loving family on Monday, August 8 at the Hospice Care Center, after being stricken at home. A Memorial service will be held at E. James Reese Funeral Home on Thursday Aug 18, 2016 at 11:30am followed by a committal service at 2:15pm with a military funeral honors ceremony provided by the Army Honor Guard at Bay Pines National Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard Saint Petersburg FL. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Suncoast Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd. Clearwater, FL 33760.