Erin Sheila Boylan, 65, of Red Oak

Erin was born on Oct. 13, 1943, in Council Bluffs, the daughter of Donald and Loretta (O’Connell) Fischer.  She attended St. Francis School in Council Bluffs and graduated in 1961 from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs.  

She furthered her education at Creighton University in Omaha and received her degree in dental hygiene.

On Nov. 9, 1963, she was united in marriage to Michael D. Boylan at St. Francis Parish in Council Bluffs. To this union were born three sons, Patrick Michael, Philip Mark and Brian Thomas.

Erin and Mike lived in Norman, Okla., from 1963 until 1968 while Mike completed his education and Erin worked as a dental assistant.

In 1968, they moved back to Council Bluffs when Mike became employed at Meyer Funeral Home. In 1971, Mike and Erin moved to Red Oak, where they purchased the former Nelson Funeral Chapel then becoming Nelson-Boylan Funeral Chapel, which they owned and operated for 30 years before their sale to Brian and Dawn LeRette in 2001.

Erin enjoyed helping other people in their time of need through her work in the funeral business. 

She also enjoyed watching her sons as they progressed through their school years and being just “Mom” to her other numerous extended families. 

She loved entertaining at her home in Red Oak. She was an accomplished musician and loved playing her piano. 

She enjoyed her time water skiing, boating at her lake house at Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., and her winter home in Sun Lakes. 

She also was an avid flower grower and loved her volunteering as a long time member and past president of Montgomery County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.  

She was also a past president of the Red Oak Business and Professional Women’s Club, the Montgomery County Heart Association and the Acorn Acres Board.  

She was a former member of the Monday Club and recipient of the 2000 Montgomery County Fair Hall of Fame Award and 1996 Red Oak Chamber of Commerce Business Award.  

She had served and was very proud of being a member the 1168th Iowa National Guard Advisory Board.

Erin was preceded in death by her parents and son, Philip.

She is survived by her husband, Michael; sons, Patrick of Norman, Okla., and Brian of Denton, Texas; her brother, Donald (Cassie) Fischer, Jr. of Scottsbluff, Neb.; sister, Nan (Don) Dew of Barron, Wis., nieces and nephews, and her faithful companion, Tuxedo the Cat.

Funeral services for Erin  will at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008, at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Red Oak, with burial in  Evergreen Cemetery in Red Oak.   

Recitation of the Rosary will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008, followed by visitation with the family at Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel in Red Oak.

Memorials are suggested to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital Foundation or the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.