Sister Ellen Doyle, OSU

Ellen Marie Doyle, OSU, age 76, of Milford, OH, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2025, at Mt. Notre Dame Health Center.  Ellen was born in Warroad, MN, the first born of the late Mary Catherine Hale and Charles Wesley Doyle. She entered the Ursulines of Brown County in 1967 and celebrated her golden jubilee of final vows in 2023. She was one of the first women to graduate from Xavier University (Ohio) with a BS in Chemistry and later completed a MEd in Secondary Education at Miami University (Ohio) and additional studies at Loyola University (IL), Catholic Theological Union, The Claret Center, the Athenaeum of Ohio and Harvard University.

Her ministry included educational service at St Louis, Owensville, OH, Ursuline Academy, Cincinnati, OH, Lourdes High School, Chicago, IL, the Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Charlotte, NC, and Chatfield College, St. Martin, OH, where she served as President for 11 years.  After further studies in spiritual direction and organizational change, Ellen served as Executive Director and Consultant for the National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (NACPA) and as a Leadership Consultant for the Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI). She also served as Chair and Member of many Boards of Trustees and as a spiritual director. In her last 20 years, she was a facilitator for discernment, planning and leadership development in religious congregations around the world. Ellen is the author of Dear Uncle Stanley: Love and Letters across Generations and Seasons.

Ellen was preceded in death by two brothers, Tim (Bonnie) Doyle and Barry (Denise) Doyle and is survived by her siblings Mary Kay Doyle of Rougemont NC, Jean (Craig) Cowan of Mooresville NC, Joe (Jeannie) Doyle of Lexington SC, Sarah Jane of Charlotte NC, and Amy (Alex) Porter of Graham NC as well as 22 nieces and nephews.  She is remembered by dear friends in the Shift Group, Women Writing for (a) Change and classmates from Regina High School Class of ’67.

A Memorial Mass and a subsequent reception will be held at St Columban Church, 894 Oakland Road, Loveland, OH on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 10:30 am. For those who may not be able to attend in person, a recording of the mass will be available here. The burial will take place in the Ursulines of Brown County Cemetery in St. Martin, OH at 2:00 pm, the same day.  

Contributions in Sr. Ellen’s memory may be sent to the Ursulines of Brown County, 20860 St. Rt. 251, St. Martin, OH 45118-9507, or to the nonprofit of your choice.