Doyle, Michael
Author and social architect
San Francisco – Michael Doyle died suddenly on Jan. 29, 2007
Born Dec. 21, 1942 in Cincinnati, Ohio, he spent most of his life in San Francisco.
Michael created a whole new field of collaborative strategic planning, facilitation, large-scale change in multi-sector global organizations & he contributed to fundamentally new approaches to city planning. He brought a level of consciousness, creativity and intuition to a field that had been largely analytical. He was an entrepreneur (Co-Founder, Interaction Associates); co-author (How to Make Meetings Work, with over 800,000 copies in print in ten languages), architect and innovator. He brought ideas that were radical for their times that have now become the standard for planning and development. Above all, he brought his immense spirit and the human element into his work. He was an elder mentor to young people. Most recently he turned his passions and his considerable genius to addressing the issues around global warming, developing nations and problems of children caught in the foster care system.
Surviving are his beloved wife, Juli Betwee of San Francisco; his sister Alice King and her children Danny, David and Jimmy; Cousins John and Fredda McGoff and their children Seth & Morgan all of Cincinnati; his mother-in-law, Vicky Betwee of Maui, HI: his brother-in-law and wife, John and Joan Betwee and nephew Eric Betwee of Maui Hi.; his niece, Lisa Betwee & beloved grand niece Isabella Betwee of Los Angeles and countless friends.
Memorial Donations may be made to: EMQ Children and Family Services, 251 Llewellyn Ave, Campbell, CA 95008 www.emq.org
Private Memorial Services will be arranged by the family
Michael was extra-ordinary. Extra in his brilliance. Extra in his leadership. Extra in his curiousity, creativity, courage, willingness to risk. Extra in his appetites for all that life has to offer. Extra in what he gave to us. He was ordinary in his deep humanness, his need for appreciation, his frailties - and all of this to a degree that made him extraordinary.
Michael, Kai Dozier and I were playing racquetball in Dearborn during the 80's, after a long day at Ford. Michael won, as usual. Afterward, we were standing watching matches in two courts - one with playser slightly better than ourselves and one with really expert players. After watching the clearly superior players for a while, Michael declared, "We are watching the wrong court. These guys are too good for us to see what they are doing. If we watch the guys who are just better than us, we can learn something that we can actually use." Always insightful. Always learning and teaching at the same time. Sensei in clown costume. Profound, giggling goof. Lousy driver. Great hugger. Michael. Mikey. Mikey-Poo (to Mary G and Rae-Rae). Dear Michael.
Posted by: Victor Ortiz | February 15, 2007 at 11:00 PM