Sister Annette Boyle, IHM, 98, died Monday, Dec. 5 at her home, the IHM Motherhouse.
Margaret Irene Boyle was the middle daughter of three born to Patrick and Mary (Doyle) Boyle of Detroit, Michigan. Born April 23, 1924, she attended Henry Ford Elementary School and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Dearborn, Michigan. Following her older sister Catherine, Margaret entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, in 1941 and received the religious name of Sister Annette.
Having earned a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College, Sister Annette embarked on a 25-year teaching ministry with elementary students at Gesu, Holy Redeemer and St. Charles, Detroit; St. Mary, Mt. Morris; St. John, Benton Harbor; St. Patrick, Carleton; St. Columban, Birmingham; St. Matthew, Flint; principal of St. Vincent DePaul and St. Frederick, Pontiac; and for several years at Our Lady of Miracles, Gustine, Calif. She also earned a Master’s degree in History from the University of Detroit.
Beyond teaching, she served her community in governance at Northwest Provincialate and in spiritual direction as Renewal Director for the province and at Visitation House of Prayer. Sister Annette found great satisfaction in the pastoral, spiritual and renewal ministries among adults. In the 1970s, she freely immersed herself in pastoral ministry at Holy Rosary and St. Anne parishes in Memphis, Tennessee, through 1985. A spirited missionary, Sister Annette led Spiritual Direction and renewal programs for religious and Major Superiors of South Africa in Capetown and through the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute (Crawford) and St. Joseph Church (Natal) Republic of South Africa.
Sister Annette returned to Michigan in 1997 and continued to serve in Pastoral Care at the Motherhouse until her retirement in 2010. Sister Annette was a “natural” in ministering to sisters and staff. Her outgoing, gracious personality and motorized scooter kept her among the people for many years.
Sister Annette is survived by nieces Laurie Alexsy and Kathy Ormand and IHM Sisters in community. She was preceded in death by sisters Marie Patrice, IHM, and Betty Mae Alexsy.
Read Sister Annette’s Remembering.