Joey Doyle, Beloved Aldine ISD Art Educator, Passes Away

Joey Doyle, who shared his love and passion of art with students and staff in Aldine ISD for 28 years, unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, July 9.

Doyle, 54, was in the Museum District picking up art from the Children’s Museum when he passed away.

Doyle joined Aldine ISD in 1986 as an art teacher at Aldine Middle School. In 1992, he moved to MacArthur High School where he taught art until 1998. In 1998, he was named the district’s program director of visual arts and elementary creative drama. Doyle also taught art in Round Rock ISD and San Angelo ISD. He was a native of San Angelo.

Under Doyle’s leadership, Aldine art students excelled at local, state and national competitions earning numerous awards, honors and scholarships.

He leaves behind his wife Ginger and daughters McKenzie and Erin.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ginger, McKenzie, Erin and Joey’s family,” said Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. Wanda Bamberg. “We are heart broken to hear of Joey’s passing. He had a passion for art and shared that passion and his many talents with his students and staff for the last 28 years. He was such a creative person and he will be sorely missed. He touched so many lives and encouraged so many young artists in Aldine. His students benefited greatly from the knowledge he imparted on them and he was so proud of the work they produced over the last 28 years.”

Dr. Sara Ptomey, AISD’s executive director of curriculum and instruction, worked closely with Doyle for a number of years. She said he had a profound impact on Aldine students.

“Joey Doyle touched the lives of every child in Aldine. He passionately believed that art was a vehicle to student success, both in the visual arts as well as the core academic areas. Every day Joey strove to find ways to integrate art into students’ lives,” Dr. Ptomey said. “Joey led in the creation of the Art Auction as part of the Aldine Livestock Show, resulting in educational scholarships for many students. Through his leadership in local and state art organizations and competitions, Joey impacted the lives of countless students across Texas.

“He served as a member of many art boards, including being an instrumental part in the creation of the Pearl Fincher Museum. As part of the curriculum department, Joey always accepted additional duties and responsibilities whether art related or not. He had many collaborations with other content areas, integrating art into other disciplines. But, no matter what the charge, Joey always kept art in the forefront of everything he did. Joey’s legacy will live on through the students, teachers, and administrators whose lives he has touched, both in his 28 years in Aldine as well as in his work throughout the art world, she said.”

Doyle, a graduate of Texas Tech University, was not only a fixture in Aldine, but was well respected among his peers across the state and nation. He received a number of honors during his career as a teacher and as an administrator.

He was named a Texas Art Education Fellow, the Texas Art Educator of the Year in 2005, and was serving as the State Director of the Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE) at the time of his death.

He was also named the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Western Region Art Educator of the Year in 1992 and the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) Outstanding Art Educator, Junior/Middle School Division in 1991.

Doyle also won the National Junior Art Honor Society Sponsor of the Year Award by the TAEA and NAEA in 1992 and was named Aldine ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year in 1991.

He also served as the co-chair and presenter at numerous TAEA conferences, was a NAEA convention presenter and served as vice-president for Youth Month Art. Doyle also served as a consultant for Transform Houston.com’s scholarship program and was a board member of the newly established Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

He was also honored by his alma mater by being named Texas Tech’s Art Department’s Distinguished Art Ex for Art Education award recipient in 1992. Doyle earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tech in art education.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

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