Obituary of Susan Eileen Doyle-Mirzadeh

Lakewood, WA Susan Eileen Doyle-Mirzadeh, 68, passed away on Thursday April 11, 2024 at her home in Lakewood, Washington with her loving husband, Ali Mirzadeh by her side. Sue was born on December 12, 1955 in Olean, NY to James R. and Elizabeth E. Doyle. She graduated from Ten Broeck Academy as co-valedictorian of the class of 1974. After graduation she attended University at Buffalo then moved out west where she spent some time in San Diego, California, Glenwood Springs, Colorado and eventually Houston, Texas where she worked as a sales administrator for MTU of America. It was in Houston, while working part time at Birraporetti’s Restaurant, that she met the love of her life, Ali Mirzadeh. They were married in August of 1985. While in Houston she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Houston with a BS in Psychology in 1988. Sue earned a Masters in Psychology from the Ohio State University in 1995, as well as all the requirements for her doctorate when an initial stroke in 1986 disrupted her ability to complete her dissertation. She, nevertheless, along with her advisor, Professor Barbara Anderson, completed and published a book chapter, and several referenced journal articles on the subject of psychological and behavioral studies in cancer prevention and variables in women’s health psychology. During her time there, she loved teaching undergraduates, sometimes as many as five hundred in a class. She distinguished herself by receiving awards and accolades from those who mattered most to her – the students. She later relocated to East Lansing, MI where her husband was completing the requirements for his doctorate. While at East Lansing, she joined Professor Bertram Stoffelmyre’s research team at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She distinguished herself by her ability to collect data from the most recalcitrant of participants. Professor Stoffelmyre, a native of Austria, soon began to refer to her as his bulldog due to her tenacity in data collection. After moving to California, she continued to follow her calling as a master’s level psychologist with a focus on the severely disabled clients of Easter Seals of Northern California. This position required her to drive thousands of miles to the homes of the clients covering a region from Stockton to the south, to Marysville and Beale AFB to the north, afterward moving to and working in women’s mental health in the Tacoma, Washington area. She also served as a coordinator for the military’s version of Special Olympics held at McChord AFB. Sue suffered a stroke in January of 2011, and despite her disability, she and Ali were able to maintain a life as close as possible to their life prior to the stroke, enjoying their German Shepherds (Papa and his daughter Tasha) and their cats (Ramesh and Sophie), birdwatching, gardening, dining out when possible, and even boating on Puget Sound on nice summer days, which she enjoyed tremendously! She always seemed to know when New Year’s Eve arrived and celebrated with a glass of champagne. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering help and support of her caregivers: Janet Cheshier (since 2011), Heidi Stach (since 2016), Michelle Credle (since 2022) and Maevis Leapai (since 2023) who spent countless hours with Sue, keeping her engaged and comfortable. We are forever in their debt. Sue is survived by her husband of 38 years, Saied Ali Mirzadeh, as well as her brothers, James (Roberta) Doyle of Cary, NC; Jeffrey (Penny Lane) Doyle of Dudley, NC; and John (Kathleen) Doyle of Hamburg NY; nephew Jamie Doyle of Johnston, IA; Niece Meaghan Doyle of Hamburg, NY and nephew Liam Doyle of Hamburg, NY. The family invites friends to attend a memorial graveside service on Saturday June 1, 2024 at 2pm at St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany. Memorials, if desired, may be made to a women’s charity or mental health charity of your choice.