Geraldine Phyllis Boyle

Geraldine Phyllis (Peterson) Boyle, 77, of Astoria, died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, in Astoria, of congestive heart failure.

She was born May 1, 1933 in St. Helens, the only child of Oscar and Ethel Peterson.

She attended St. Helens High School, where she was a majorette and a member of the class of 1952.

She married Walter Goss. The couple had four children. They later divorced. He preceded her in death.

She married Dennis Larson. The couple had two children. They later divorced.

After graduating from high school, Mrs. Boyle worked her way up at Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company in St. Helens and Portland. In 1968, she moved to Astoria, where she was employed in the Astoria Plywood Mill office and at various other local businesses.

In her later years, she was a volunteer driver for the Oregon Department of Human Services, transporting individuals in need of medical care to Portland and the surrounding areas. As a driver, family members said, she touched many lives, even up to her final months.

Family members said she loved cooking and baking for her family, was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed pitching on slow-pitch softball teams for years. She helped raise grandchildren and opened her home to countless others. She had many hobbies including shopping, watching sports, sewing her trademark blankets and adding dolls to her collection.

She is survived by six children, Debra Pishue and her husband, Greg, of West Richland, Wash., Dean Goss and Darin Larson of Astoria, Diane Bish and her husband, Steve, of Portland, Dana Goss and his wife, Marcy, of Northfield, Minn., and Dirk Larson and his partner, Nicky Trucke, of Salem; three stepchildren and their families, Doug Boyle and his wife, Fern, Donna Pimental and her husband, David, and Jack Boyle and his wife, Amy; 17 grandchildren, Taylor Bellingham, Breanne and Otis Heavenrich, Maranda Bish, Ashley and Chris Johnson, Lindsey and Chase Decker, Brent and Chelsey Pishue, Angie and Aaron Frawley, Talon, Stephanie and Molly Goss and Brandon and Amber Larson; and eight great-grandchildren, Sterling Hummel, Tuesday and Quinn Bellingham, Sahalie Heavenrich, Audrey, Gabriel and Elliott Johnson and Lillianna Decker.

A celebration of life and reception will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8 in River View Room No. 2 at the Holiday Inn Express in Astoria.