Nora Doyle never met a person with whom she couldn’t make a connection...and if you knew her, you know exactly what we mean. Lenora Ann Doyle, 72, of Belvidere, joined her beloved husband and love of her life, Mike, in heaven on April 13, 2026. She was born in Rockford on May 12, 1953. She was the third daughter of Joseph and Carmella Cipolla. Nora attended St. Anthony Grade School, Muldoon High School and graduated from Boylan High School in 1971. She continued her studies at Rock Valley College. Nora had several jobs during her work career, including her first job at the staff cafeteria at Rockford Memorial Hospital when she was 16 years old. In 2005, she began working at the City of Rockford Legal Department where she found her work family. She eventually retired in June of 2020, at which time the mayor presented her with the key to the city. Her retirement lasted almost two weeks, at which time she returned to her work family on a part time basis until the fall of 2025.

Nora wore many hats in her life, but her favorite role of all was being a mom. She enjoyed volunteering as a Girl Scout Leader for both of her daughters' troops and spent many days sorting cookies, singing Girl Scout songs, and leading the troops in Belvidere parades. She easily developed lifelong friendships with her neighbors, and along with Mike, they traveled all over the world together. She cherished her time with special friends in her book club, and never missed an evening to laugh, talk and cry. Nora was a lifetime, devoted member of Saint Anthony of Padua Church.

She loved traveling with Mike and continuing her family’s traditions such as baking briulate & Italian cookies at Christmas, making ta’ano at Easter, pasta, meatballs, and sugo throughout the year. If she thought being a mom was great, she cherished being a Nana even more. Nora could always be found on the sidelines supporting her grandchildren (rain or shine), including band concerts, sporting events, and other activities. She loved hosting all five grandchildren for their annual “back to school sleepover” and spent months helping supervise the kids at her house during remote learning in the fall of 2020. She and Mike transformed their house into a classroom, cafeteria & gymnasium.

Nora is survived by her daughters Amanda (Mike) Denning, Emily (Chris) Cork; her grandchildren Jack, Micah, Will, Molly and Sam; siblings Mary Jo (Dan) Jarvi, Vera Connell (Larry Altenburg), Kathy (Mark) Hanson, Frank (Denise) Cipolla, sister-in-law Julie Stacionis, many nieces and nephews, and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death in July 2025 by her husband of 52 years, Mike.

Nora was loving, loyal, smart, feisty, energetic, fiercely kind, curious, sharp, funny, stubborn and strong. The world seems darker without her, even though we know it has been made so much brighter because of the life she built with Mike.

Special thanks to her caregivers at Carbone Cancer Center, UW Swedish American Hospital, Van Matre Hospital and her numerous devoted therapists and nurses. In lieu of flowers, please show your love and support by making donations to any foundation supporting advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer or pancreatic cancer.

Visitation will be Sunday, April 19, 2026, from 4-7pm at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, 1860 South Mulford Rd, Rockford. Recitation of the rosary at 6:45 pm. Memorial Mass will be Monday, April 20, 2026, at 10:00 am, with visitation at 9:00 am at St. Anthony Padua Church, 1010 Ferguson, Rockford, Illinois.