Clara Boyle

Clara "Jean" Boyle, age 81, of Crookston, MN, passed away on Thursday, April 29, 2021, at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home with her family by her side.

Clara “Jean” Boyle was born in St. Joseph, LA, October 8, 1939 to George and Evie Haston.  She was the youngest of five children. In 1957 she graduated from Tallulah High School.

While on a visit to her sister in California, she met her husband, Kevin. They were married in Louisiana on October 26, 1958 and spent 62 years together.  They had six children all born in different states: Mary, Charles, Valerie, Vincent, Laura, and Timothy. Over the years, they lived in many places from the east coast to the west but settled in Minnesota living out the last 42 years in Crookston.

Jean enjoyed numerous hobbies.  Most of her hobbies were making gifts for her family. She made each of her grandchildren beautiful afghans until she was no longer able to crochet. Other hobbies included: crossword puzzles, ceramics, needlepoint, sewing, and reading.

Kevin and Jean enjoyed doing many activities together.  They loved bowling, square dancing, gardening, and golfing (with Peanut, their favorite dog). They attended many of their children’s and grandchildren’s sporting and musical events.

Over the years Jean had many and varied jobs because she was a flexible person.  She was employed in dime and grocery stores, she decorated cakes, she even drove a school bus!

Loving her family was important to her.  She was always looking for new and tasty foods to make her family.  She was an excellent cook. Everyone loved her tomato soup! Thanksgiving was her tastiest meal with a pineapple salad and her famous pecan and parfait pies!

Being a Christian was especially important to her and she was a member of the Church of Christ. She read her Bible often and knowledge of her Bible was so amazing that it was hard to beat her at Bible trivia games!

Jean is survived by her husband, her children: Mary (Kevin) Peyton, Charles (Deb), Valerie O’Connell, Vince, Lauri (Jeff) Walker, and Tim (Dena). Grandchildren, Kayla, Dustin, Emery Peyton, Danielle Boyle, Erin (Tim) Gerold, Megan (Tanner) Olsen, Cody (Emily) Boyle, Misty (Jimmy) Praska, Jacob (Christina) Walker, Chantel (Cory) Uriell, Desdemona Boyle, Elizabeth Boyle, and Brooklyn Boyle, and 12 great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother William Haston, her sisters, Myrtis Parker and Idell Palmer, a stillborn son, Patrick, and a grandson Brett Walker.

Memorial service celebrating Jean's life will be held at 2:00 pm, on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston, MN, with a time for visitation one hour before.