Doris (Schock) Bickley

With much love from her family and friends, Doris Schock Bickley has been profoundly missed since her sudden passing by natural causes on February 15, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Doris had such an incredible sense of adventure, humor, and determination to live life to the fullest. With endless curiosity, she approached life head-on and very much lived by her own rules; her vibrant, effervescent, adventurous soul glistening outward. She had incredible strength that inspired us all and she liberally mixed it with her caring, supportive and passionate personality.

Doris spent many happy years in Yarmouth Port and Natick, Massachusetts in a loving partnership with George Morfogen until his passing in 2018. Visits with her family and friends were her truest joy and her top priority. She also had amazing adventures to many parts of the U.S. and the world including Cuba, China, Russia, Greece, Italy and France. Portugal and Morocco were “in the works” for Fall 2023.

Born the second child of Charles and Helen Schock in southern New Jersey, Doris graduated from Albright College in Pennsylvania and then whisked herself off to New York City as an independent young woman. There, she married Robert Bickley of New York, NY and they lovingly raised their two daughters, Suzanne and Michelle in Keene, New Hampshire, while she also attended and graduated from University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a master’s of fine arts degree (MFA) in interior design.

Doris then moved to Massachusetts and engaged mightily in a long-lasting and successful career in Boston, with her proudest years from 1990 - 2006 in co-ownership of the Design-Build Interior Architecture firm, Young Bickley Geiger. She also dedicated herself to volunteer work, most especially as a long-time teacher of English with Literacy Unlimited through the Framingham Public Library and as a docent at the Golden Ball Tavern Museum in Weston. She also taught design courses at Emerson College and Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Doris leaves a very loving and connected family: daughter Suzanne Bickley Castner and her husband Joe Castner; daughter Michelle Bickley and her husband Jon Guetschow, and their daughter Edme Guetschow (Doris was her “Grandma GiGi”); brother Ronald Schock and his wife Lorna; nephew Charlie Schock and his wife Pam; niece Bridget (Schock) Young and her husband Cameron, and their three children; and niece Pam Lyons and her family.

Doris also had many true and special friends whom she considered family, that we keep in our thoughts for the painful loss of their dear and loyal friend, second mom, partner, mentor and guiding light. She truly and deeply loved each and every one of us.

We will all carry her with us as we continue to live our lives, each in our own unique way, which is how Doris encouraged us to do throughout her wonderful life: take risks, live fully and without regrets, be our authentic selves and remember to seize the small, joyful moments every day of our lives!

Donations in Doris’ honor are gratefully being accepted at Framingham Public Library’s Literacy Unlimited Program and Rosie’s Place (women’s homeless shelter & community center) in Boston.

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