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Doyle, Ruth Bachhuber
MADISON - Ruth Bachhuber Doyle passed away on Saturday, May 6, 2006,
after a long battle with Parkinson's disease at the age of 89. Born in
1916, in Milwaukee and raised in Wausau, Ruth Bachhuber Doyle was the
third child of Frank E. Bachhuber and Mabel Foley. In 1940, she married
James E. Doyle, Sr. of Oshkosh, who she met at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison who later became U.S. District Court Judge. In 1948,
as a young mother of three, she became one of the first women elected to
the Wisconsin Legislature. She was the fourth generation of her family
to serve in the Wisconsin Assembly, following in the footsteps of her
father (Frank E. Bachhuber, 1933), grandfather (Andrew Bachhuber, 1885),
and great-grandfather (Max Bachhuber, 1860, 1864 and 1875). The
Bachhubers remain the only four generation family in Wisconsin history
to win election to the state Legislature. With her husband, Ruth
Bachhuber Doyle helped rebuild the Democratic Party in Wisconsin. When
she was elected to the Assembly, she was the first Democrat in decades
and the first woman ever to represent Madison. Assemblywoman Doyle tried
in 1951 to secure employment for a female applicant to the Assembly
Sergeant-at-Arms staff. The Sergeant at the time refused to hire a
woman, claiming that women would distract the male legislators. In 1952,
Ruth Bachhuber Doyle ran unsuccessfully for State Treasurer, becoming
one of the first women to ever run on her own for statewide office. She
went on to serve with distinction as the only female member of the Dane
County Board and was the first female president of the Madison School
Board. In 1990, the School Board named the district's administration
building in her honor. She is also recalled warmly by thousands of
lawyers in the state for her notable service as longtime assistant to
the Dean of the UW-Madison Law School. While at the University, she
helped launch a successful initiative to recruit and retain minority
students. She stayed in close touch with many of these students over the
years, serving as a mentor and a friend. The Ruth Bachhuber Doyle Award
is given annually to recognize the outstanding student contribution to
the law school community. The James E. and Ruth B. Doyle chair is an
endowed professorship that honors both her and her husband's signal
service to the Law School. Ruth Bachhuber Doyle's commitment to
education also came through in her work as a schoolteacher in the Oregon
school district. It was part of a long and diverse career that showed
that women could be successful in many fields. Doyle taught her children
to never shy away from a challenge, and was proud that her three
daughters and her son went on to successful law careers. In 2003, though
suffering from advanced Parkinson's disease, she attended the
inauguration of her son as Wisconsin's 44th governor. She is survived by
three daughters, Mary, Catherine, Anne; and her son, James; son-in-law,
James Brudney; daughter-in-law, Jessica Laird Doyle; eight
grandchildren, Gus and Gabe Doyle, Joseph Pickman, Ruth and Nelle
Rohlich, Edward, Henry, and Rose Brudney; great-grandson, Asiah Doyle;
and a sister, Mary (Alan) Simmons. Ruth was preceded in death by her
husband, James E. Doyle Sr.; and two brothers, Frank Bachhuber, and Dick
Bachhuber. A visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday,
May 8, 2006, at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. A Mass
of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, at
OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 401 S. Owen Dr., Madison with
Msgr. Kenneth Fiedler presiding. Friends may greet the family from 10
a.m. until time of services on Tuesday at the church. In lieu of
flowers, memorials are appreciated to the University of Wisconsin
Foundation, Scholarship Fund, PO Box 8860, Madison, WI 53791. The family
would like to thank the staff at Attic Angels for their many years of
loving care. Cress Funeral & Cremation Service 3610 Speedway Road (608)
238-3434 www.cressfuneralservice.com
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