Dorothy M. Dyer

Dorothy Marie (O'Connor) Dyer, age 93, passed away on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, surrounded by her loving family at the Thomas Upton House in Medfield, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on February 6, 1933, she was the daughter of John and Geneva (McDevitt) O'Connor.

Dorothy was raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston, where she attended the local public schools. After school she would attend dance lessons, falling in love with the art at a young age. In her ballet lessons, she perfected her pliés, arabesques, and pirouettes. She mastered wings and scuffle steps in tap lessons. As she grew older, she learned and enjoyed more mainstream dancing, spending her free time with girlfriends at local dance halls when she wasn't working at RH White's department store. It was on one such outing that she met a young sailor on shore leave, who asked for her hand for a dance, an act that changed their lives forever. The two fell head over heels for each other, and on June 27, 1954, Dorothy married the love of her life, Darnell Dyer, in Boston.

The newlyweds initially made their married home in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, later purchasing a home in Roslindale in 1958. Their family grew with the welcome additions of their son Mark and daughter Diane, and Dorothy transitioned into the role of a stay-at-home Mom. She was a loving and supportive mother, encouraging her children to pursue their interests. Dorothy had many interests of her own, including fashion. She was known for her style, always impeccably dressed, with the kids happily joining her on shopping trips to Filene's Basement. When Darnell started his own business, Alert Fire Equipment, Dorothy stepped in to help fill any role that she could, serving as secretary, administrator, and whatever else needed to be done to support her husband's dream.

A vibrant and social woman, Dorothy loved having get togethers with her siblings and their families, as Dorothy made sure her children grew up surrounded by the people she loved. The O’Connors were a close-knit bunch and anyone who married into the family was welcomed with open arms. As such, everyone would gather together for Halloween parties, ice skating, and water skiing. Together they enjoyed many adventures to Mirror Lake in Wrentham and in Bourne down the Cape. An animal lover, she never fought the cat distribution system - taking in strays and adopting many cats and dogs over the years, always having a four-legged friend in their family. She even liked horses, keeping up with Diane's horses and taking interest in them. Dorothy also loved camping, traveling across New England with her family to enjoy nature. Her family was perhaps the only family with home cooked meals and ice cream on camping trips, as she would cook everything in advance and store it in dry ice until time to reheat. Traveling became a very important part of her life when her grandson Ryan was born, with Dorothy and Darnell heading up to Maine to spend time together as often as they could. Being a grandmother was a precious role that she cherished greatly.

Dorothy was generous, strong, determined, and had a big personality. She was a fighter, who taught you how precious life could be and to treasure every moment you had. Her love of life never waned, with her toes tapping and a smile on her face until her final days.

Beloved wife of the late Darnell Dyer.

Loving mother of Mark D. Dyer and his partner Susan Connolly of Bass Harbor, Maine, and Diane D. Pirro and her husband Richard of Norfolk.

Cherished grandmother of Ryan Dyer of Bar Harbor, Maine.

Sister of the late Geneve Mitchell, Cecelia Carr, Gertrude O'Myer, Fr. Mark Lawrence O'Connor, Vangie Cunniff, William O'Connor, and Warren O'Connor.

Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, extended relatives, and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 1st, 2026, in Saint Jude's Catholic Church, 86 Main Street, Norfolk, at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at Mount Benedict Cemetery in West Roxbury.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Dorothy's name may be made to the MSPCA by sending a check to MSPCA-Angell Attn: Donations, 350 South Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02130 or by visiting https://www.mspca.org/donate-now/.

Arrangements by James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, Walpole.