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Dr. Doyle: A Study in the Art of Wellness
By Lonny Townley 2002

Many of us have been struggling with our inability to articulate, much less comprehend the scope of our grief over the loss of our good friend Art Doyle. Then, this morning, while on my daily run it came to me. Few of us ever encounter, much less develop relationships lasting twenty years, with individuals who truly personify the definition of a well being. However, Art was one such friend whose wellness-focused approach to life I found absolutely admirable.

To most, wellness simply connotes a state of physical health. However, wellness in its fullest sense means so much more. Wellness is, in fact, a multi-dimensional state of being, calling us to consistently seek balance among six dimensions of one's life: emotional, spiritual, occupational, intellectual, social and physical. The quest for personal wellness never ends; the delicate balance can never be fully achieved. Few among us even manage to make minor headway towards achieving balance in any of these aspects of life. Art Doyle was one such individual who did. And we will forever admire him greatly, and grieve his passing, because he was an outstanding wellness role model.

Where to begin? Art was totally committed to Alice, Jen and Jay. Our runs together were invariably laced with reflections about Jen's accomplishments as a softball star and Jay's intellectual achievements as he grew from an energetic young boy into manhood. Every Thursday night, I understand, Art and Alice spent hours at John Stone's Inn, cultivating their mutual love of music, and most importantly their fierce devotion for each other. Art's intellectual curiosity never wavered; it shone continuously with a brilliance that matched the intensity of a celestial constellation. Just imagine. Thirty-four years spent exploring the laws of physics, developing the world-altering potential of computer technology and shaping the minds, spirits and careers of generations of students. Who among us less scientifically oriented GFRC members would not stand in awe, simply trying to digest, much less hope to understand, the often extraordinary discourse among the ranks of the cerebral giants whom we are fortunate to count among our membership ranks? Is it any surprise that Framingham State College president Helen Heineman named Art Vice President of Academic Affairs? Although Art's mind may have been grounded in physical science, mathematics and high technology, his commitment to Framingham State, the teachers, staff and students, was one of his most sincere passions. In an era when job shifting has become the norm, when seeking "the best opportunity" is the new standard for professional success, Art's constancy, reliability and dedication to the principles of higher learning command our utmost respect.

All of this, and not a word about Art's contributions to our running club? Veteran members of the GFRC will forever fondly recall such favorites as "the Art Doyle 20-Miler," our P to P powerhouse teams upon which Art played significant roles and the legendary "club colors" controversy over which Art presided as club president. But these memories just scratch the surface, because Art characteristically responded to the call whenever summoned to apply his expertise, experience and outstanding diplomatic talent. When this club needed to redraft its Constitution and By-Laws, Art was there to lead the effort. No one more than Art Doyle advocated with stronger resolve for the growth of team competition. Our club's ongoing participation in such team competition classics as the Lake W Relay and the Vermont City Marathon is due, in no small part, to Art's prompting and encouragement. And no one, more so than Art Doyle, put his or her heart into the GFTC's annual Jingle Bell Run, an event that subjected the residents of area nursing homes to the disharmonious tones of a motley, sweat-laden group of apparent vagabonds.

However, if we are to identify Art's most endearing quality, what many of us will recall most fondly was his incredible sense of intelligent, self-deprecating humor. Art had the uncanny ability to turn the room upside down with a well-placed quip, even during the most serious deliberations over budget, competition, policy or…food. When Wayne Buckley chose not to run for a second term as vice president, instead to prepare for his heralded assault on the Clarence DeMar Marathon Art wrote, "Wayne has chosen not to run for Vice President. He will, however, continue to serve in the more difficult role of being Wayne…Beneath his tough persona, Wayne is actually a caring and compassionate person. I am going to miss the wimp." When Jack O'Rourke shortened the Scott Bailey Road Race distance from 6.5 to a "pathetic, namby-pamby, 'feeling good about myself' five miles," explaining that he did it "for the money," Art wrote that the club voted on the following penalties, "to censure, to impeach, to keelhaul, to dismember, or (the overwhelming favorite) to emasculate…The 'procedure' will be performed by Ray Murphy at the close of our next meeting. Without anesthesia." When the club membership experienced a growth spurt thanks to several well-timed births to GFTC family members, Art wrote, "We may have hit upon the secret for maintaining growth during a period of economic hardship. I'm going to recommend the Membership Director develop and official GFTC Fertility and Fecundity Kit to encourage more of this. We can include appropriate fragrances, potions, incantations, and a four color manual illustrated so clearly that even runners can follow it."

All of us who knew Art Doyle are better people because of our personal relationships with this very special friend. As a teacher and leader, thinker and athlete, Art inspired on a daily basis, as few are ever able even once in a lifetime. He moved seamlessly with grace and ease among his various roles as husband, father, scholar, teacher, administrator, politician, diplomat, athlete, outdoorsman and friend. His inspiration was grounded in a personality and demeanor that placed the highest value upon giving, not only to others but also to himself. Remember, in the quest to achieve a state of wellness, we must balance our own needs and desires with the will and inclination to give and to keep on giving to others. That is one of Art Doyle's most compelling legacies, and hopefully helps us to understand with greater clarity why this terrible loss hurts so much.

Art once wrote, "So don't sit on the sidelines, come on out and join us. Life is short. You don't want to reach the end and realize, to your horror, that you never did anything irresponsible." With such understanding, maybe we heal faster, undoubtedly we honor the memory of an individual whose approach to life and whose love of life made such a remarkable difference to all whom he touched across a broad tapestry of humankind. We are all better for him, will miss him terribly and hope that time and understanding will relieve the grief that Alice, Jen and Jay must now endure.