Obituaries Obituaries (January 25, 2006)

Carol Meyer Doyle

Menlo Park artist

Carol Meyer Doyle, an artist who refused to let illness quell her creativity, even when she was bedridden, died at her Menlo Park home January 18 after a four-year battle with breast cancer. She was 60.

Ms. Doyle was the wife of Menlo Park Transportation Commissioner Eric Doyle.

Ms. Doyle was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where she graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in fine arts. She also attended UC Berkeley and received a master of fine arts degree from Mills College.

Ms. Doyle was known for her oil paintings and prints using a linoleum block printing process. She exhibited her work in galleries throughout Northern California, including the Developing Artists' Gallery at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts.

She maintained a studio at her home and taught painting at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto. She also gave private art lessons.

During the last year-and-a-half of her illness, when she was bedridden, Ms. Doyle developed a unique technique of knitting sculptures out of wool. "Her sculptures came in an unbelievable range of colors and sizes," her husband said.

The unusual sculptures were displayed at a Sacramento art gallery.

Ms. Doyle is survived by her husband, Eric of Menlo Park; mother Pauline Meyer of Santa Barbara; and brother Richard Meyer of Seattle, Washington.

At Ms. Doyle's request, no services will be held. Memorials in her name may be made to the World Wildlife Fund, Amnesty International, or Mills College.

Ella Mae Nash

Former Portola Valley resident

Services for Ella Mae Nash of Auburn will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 25, at the Lassila Funeral Chapel, 551 Grass Valley Highway in Auburn. Ms. Nash died January 19 at Mercy Hospital in Sacramento at the age of 82.

Longtime Portola Valley residents will remember that Ms. Nash and her husband, the late Neal Nash, opened the Village Square Market and Soda Fountain in Portola Valley in 1961 and operated the business for 13 years.

Ms. Nash was born in Paris, Missouri. She married Neal Nash in 1942.

In 1945, the couple moved to San Francisco, where she worked for the Emporium. They moved to Portola Valley in 1961 and lived there until moving to Auburn in 2000.

After the Village Square Market closed, Ms. Nash worked for several Menlo Park gift shops, which helped her sustain her love to decorate, say family members. She also enjoyed travel, shopping, and the theater. She was a past member of the Woodside/Portola Valley Lioness Club and a Cub Scout leader.

Ms. Nash is survived by two sons, Steve of Modesto and Mark of Auburn; three daughters-in-law, Rene of Modesto, Joyce of Auburn and Jean of Portola Valley; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Neal Windsor Nash; and her eldest son, Greg of Portola Valley.

Donations may be made to the Diabetes Foundation or the American Heart Association.

Mary Regel

Realtor

Mary Leighton Regel, a 30-year resident of Menlo Park, died January 7. She was 83.

Ms. Regel was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was raised in Southern California. She attended Punahou School in Hawaii and Stanford University, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. She was a Rose Bowl Princess in 1939.

Ms. Regal began her real estate career in Elmhurst, Illinois. After returning to California in the late 1970s, she joined the firm of Cornish & Carey.

She later founded her own company, Regel Properties, where she worked until retiring in the late 1990s. During her career, she earned the designations of real estate broker, certified residential specialist, and licensed appraiser.

Until her death, she continued to receive notes and cards from many of her former clients thanking her for her help and support, say family members.

Ms. Regel was a member of the Peninsula Volunteers and the Money Bags investment group.

She is survived by her seven children, James Regel and David Mack of Menlo Park, Steven Mack of Villa Park, Illinois, Dr. Jeffrey Mack of Tucson, Arizona, Susan Westen of Atlanta, Georgia, Joyce Regel of Sacramento, and Candace Regel of San Diego; and three grandchildren. Ms. Regel was married to Keith A. Regel, who preceded her in death.

Private services have been held under the direction of Spangler Mortuaries. The family prefers memorials be made in her name to Operation Blessing International (www.ob.org), 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463.

Joanne Bliss

Consultant, volunteer

Joanne Dodge Bliss of Menlo Park died January 5 at home, surrounded by family and friends. She was 59.

She was born in Laramie, Wyoming, and attended the University of Wyoming and San Jose State University, where she earned a degree in recreational therapy. She worked at Mira Monte Health Services, then went into her own private consulting business.

She enjoyed skiing, movies, gardening, animals and shopping, say family members. She was an active member and volunteer at Trinity Episcopal Church and the Child and Family Institute.

Ms. Bliss is survived by her daughter, Whitney Bliss; sisters Jeanne Eggert and Janet Wright; brother John Dodge; and 13 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Bertha Dodge.

A memorial service was held January 21 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park.

The family would appreciate contributions to Child and Family Institute, a hospice, or cancer research. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney Funeral Home in Palo Alto.

Lucerne Beal

Former music teacher, medical missionary

A celebration of the life of Lucerne S. Beal will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, February 4, at the Church in the Forest in Pebble Beach. Ms. Beal lived in Pacific Grove for the past six years and was a former resident of Menlo Park, where she lived for 30 years.

Born in Alberta, Canada, she received a degree in music from the University of Arizona. She became a music teacher and an accomplished pianist. For the past 25 years, she worked in real estate, most recently at Sotheby's International in Pacific Grove.

From 1952 to 1958, she was a medical missionary in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), West Africa, where she helped her husband, Dr. Charles Beal, build a hospital.

After moving to Pacific Grove, she became a member of the Church of the Forest in Pebble Beach. She enjoyed tending her garden in preparation for the annual Pacific Grove garden tour, going to concerts, and ushering at the Carmel Bach Festival, say family members.

She is survived by her son, Timothy M. Beal of Stockton; her daughter, Marcia L. Cody of Pacific Grove; brothers Duane Smith of Corte Madera and Lawrence Smith of Texas; four grandchildren; and her "adopted family," the Blades. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Charles B. Beal, in 2000.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Childhood Disease Research Foundation, 419 Fountain Ave., Pacific Grove, CA 93950; or The Visiting Nurse Association, P.O. Box 2480, Monterey, CA 93942.

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