SR2193 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR2193 LRB100 24024 ALS 43385 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Peggy Roche Boyle, who passed away on April 14, 2018 at the age of 73; and

WHEREAS, Peggy Boyle was born to Patrick and Kathleen Roche; one of four children, she grew up on the West Side in St. Thomas Aquinas parish; when she was four years old, her mother passed away; a few years later, her father married Grace Dorgan, and they had four more children; when she was 13, she began her long and devoted career in the dance industry as her father's dance driller, counting out steps and demonstrating them for students; and

WHEREAS, Peggy Boyle became certified by the Irish Dancing Commission as a dance teacher by learning the melodies of 30 dances and memorizing how to perform at least eight of them; with the Pat Roche School of Irish Dancing, Peggy Boyle gave lessons at Connolly's pub, the Doonaree Room, and Emerald Catering; she also taught at the American Legion Hall in Brookfield and the West Dale Gardens Community Center in Hillside; she was well known in the dance community as a "no-nonsense instructor" who could quiet a room with just one look; she also encouraged a sense of camaraderie amongst her students and promoted friendships; and

WHEREAS, Peggy Boyle expressed that dancing was about having fun, and although she was excited for her students to win a competition, it was "much more important to her that her students loved Irish dancing"; and

WHEREAS, Peggy Roche married Jimmy Boyle, a guitar player, and together they formed the Traveling People, a group that performed throughout Chicago; she often performed spoons with the group and, according to her son, Seamus, was "one of the finest spoons players they'd ever heard"; and

WHEREAS, As her family grew, Peggy Boyle settled in Brookfield and scaled back on dance instruction to care for her children; after she had her fifth child, she started teaching dance to adults at St. Xavier University and to young children at her home; she simultaneously worked for travel agencies, including Gaffney Travel on the South Side; she founded her own travel agency, Roche Tours, which led groups to Ireland; and

WHEREAS, Peggy Boyle was a gifted cook who especially admired the Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten's recipes, however, Irish soda bread was her way of comforting many; and

WHEREAS, Peggy Boyle was the dear sister of Kathleen (Tom) McDonnell, Mary Pat (Tony) Kulak, Patrick (Jan) Roche, Collette (Tom) McGrath, Kevin (Joanne) Roche, Michael (Suzanne) Roche, and the late John (Liane) Roche, the devoted and loving mother of Meghan (Marcus) Larson, Kathleen (Jim) Farnan, Siobhan (Tom) Luedtke, Seamus (Beth) Boyle, and Patrick (Amy) Boyle, the proud grandmother of 15, and the fond aunt of many nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Peggy Roche Boyle and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Peggy Boyle as an expression of our deepest sympathy.