Donna Carol (Paulsen) Boyle

Surrounded by her children who adored her, Donna Carol (Paulsen) Boyle passed away May 28, 2024, from complications of pancreatic cancer at her home in Ouray County, Colorado.

Born in 1945 to Carl Paulsen and Irene Schuur, Donna grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1963. She studied dress design and attended Tarkio College in Tarkio, MO, with a focus on costume design for the stage. She worked for a local Singer store and then was a radio programmer for WJAS in Pittsburgh before moving to Arizona in 1970.

Mere days after moving to Arizona, she met her future husband, Richard Boyle Jr., through mutual friends. They were married on May 28, 1971, and were blessed with 50 years of marriage before Richard went to be with the Lord in October 2021. Donna joined him on what would have been their 53rd wedding anniversary.

In the early 1980s, after her three children were all in school, Donna became interested in the new and exciting world of personal computers. She developed and taught in the first computer lab in the area at Beaver Creek School in Rimrock, AZ, encouraging and positively influencing scores of kids. She also brought many local businesses in Arizona’s Verde Valley into the computing age, building computers and training others how to use them. She finished her career in computers by helping create both the technology lab and the mass media lab at Camp Verde High School and teaching computing courses through the local community college in the early 1990s.

In her free time, Donna loved to cross-stitch, travel, and spend time with her family and in her church.

She is survived by her sister, Janice Paulsen of Pittsburgh, PA; her brother, Col. (R) David Paulsen of Goodyear, AZ; her son, Michael Boyle of Montrose, CO; her daughters, Kristin Paul of Payson, AZ and Laurin Boyle of Montrose, CO; and her grandson, Hunter Paul of Payson, AZ.

A small memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 2:00 pm at Colona Community Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in Donna’s memory to HopeWest Hospice or Colona Community Church are encouraged.