Memories of Joe Doyle
Early Days
In the days before Internet and digital arts, I was indirectly introduced to Joe Doyle by Maureen Knightly, our then assistant dean at Vista College. She was trying to find a substitute for his art history class. Joe, she said, was called away to fetch a human liver, shipped to the Oakland airport for immediate transplant at a local hospital. It was one of Joe’s “other” jobs that helped him support his family, allowed him to practice fine art and teach. Just as Joe walked on the cutting edge of life transformations through his art and teaching, he also, for a time, was on the medical precipice of saving people’s lives. He often said that while some people earned more money and had loftier titles, we were all, in the end, “working stiffs.” Joe made it to the hospital that day and Maureen was relieved. “Have you seen his truck?” she asked. It was a 15-year-old mustard colored, dented Datsun pickup that sorely needed cosmetics. But that never stopped Joe from these life-saving interludes.
Digital Experiments
At Vista, there were days when, working late at 2020 Milvia, he would struggle with a new digital program: Photoshop. Its elements were created by George Lucas’s ILM programmers to develop the special effects not then available for the first Star Wars movie. Joe’s office was next door to mine. And he would spend hours after everyone had gone home, learning Photoshop to create a pioneering community college class that otherwise would cost thousands to teach and learn. After many hours, twists and turns, Joe launched the class. Students traced lobsters, edited, and used special effects for photographs. Over time, he was equally stubborn and focused as he taught himself other emerging digital art programs. Illustrator, InDesign, 3-D modeling, animation, to name only a few, became foundations for Vista’s, then BCC’s Multimedia Arts Program. Only the best of the best in digital fine arts were scouted and recruited by Joe as instructors and teaching assistants. We learned from them and then from each other. Students became teachers. And everyone made learning fun!
Stairwell Musician
While Joe could be curmudgeonly, he also possessed a unique sense of humor. One afternoon, we heard something in a nearby stairwell that sounded like a mournful, tripped-off alarm. We ran to the top of the 4th floor stairs at 2020 Milvia and there was Joe, experimenting with a Didgeridoo. A couple dozen people had appeared from all five floors to check out the sound. So, we asked him, “What the hell is that?” He said, “I’m playin’ a Didgeridoo . . . to relax, Foggy.” He had joined an Oakland Didgeridoo group to “take the edge off” and thought that the stairwell contained a perfect echo. From that point on, anytime we heard that sound, either in the stairwell or in Vista’s hallways, it was time to buy an Au Coquelet chocolate chip cookie for Joe. A chocolate chip cookie, a hug and perhaps a Patsy Cline song or two, were sure to bring back temporary tranquility.
Education Advocate
Finally, Joe played a significant role in making possible Berkeley City College. He was a staunch pro-Vista union activist during the college’s deannexation period in the 1990s. He attended hearings, and was a vocal presence, advocating for Vista’s existence at union, city council, board of education and Sacramento meetings. Later, he worked with students and faculty to stop cuts to higher education, and with his students took part in numerous marches on the state capital.
The many facets of his personality that at times made us want to, among other things, scream, or hug or grab his collar and drag him into the hallway for a good yell session, made him Joe Doyle. At times, his over the top, "kick-ass" approach, nonetheless often brought about positive results. He was a creative, compassionate, stubborn, dedicated presence who enhanced the lives of those who knew him. Farewell, Joe. We will miss and shall always remember you.
Shirley Fogarino, Friend, Colleague
and Retired Public Information Officer & Marketing Instructor
Vista Community College and Berkeley City Colleg