Mary Frances 'fran' Dwyer

Mary Frances 'Fran' (Berry) Dwyer, 89 of Glastonbury and formerly of East Hartford, wife of the late William F. Dwyer, died Saturday, (April 18, 2009) at St. Francis Hospital. Born March 22, 1920 in East Hartford, she was the oldest daughter of the late Joseph and Alice (Hanley) Berry. She was a graduate of St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in Waterbury and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy in World War II. It was during the war that she was introduced to the love of her life, Bill Dwyer, a Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. They married in 1944 in East Hartford and raised their five children in a very happy, loving home. Fran loved to garden, embroider and read. She was a whiz at crossword puzzles, scrabble and bridge. After Bill died in 1976, Fran retired as school nurse from East Catholic High School in Manchester and began traveling. She went many places, but the Greek Islands were her favorite. Her love of reading led her to work part time at the Wickham Public Library in East Hartford for many years. In her 70's Fran attended Manchester Community College and graduated with an Associates Degree. She accomplished much in her life and remains an inspiration to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Although we will miss her very much, we know she is in the company of Our Lord and his Blessed Mother and reunited once again with her beloved Bill. To mourn her passing, she leaves her sons J. Patrick and his wife Barbara of Cromwell, Kevin and his wife Jeannie of Newbury Park, CA, Thomas and his wife Bernadette of Kensington, MD, Timothy and his wife Nancy of Bristol; and daughter Mary Alice Dwyer Hughes and her husband Dave of East Hartford; her grandchildren, Michael, Daniel and his wife Stephanie, Kelly, Alison, Patrick, Joseph, Mary, Matthew, Julie, Colin Dwyer, Eileen Breeze, Meghan Lehr, Katie Randolph, Neil, Luke and Owen Bacewicz; and her great-grandchildren, Seamus 'Bo', Major and Finlay Dwyer, Tommy Breeze, and Andrew, Grady and Paige Randolph. Besides her children, Fran leaves her dear sisters, Nola Brady and Anne Lavey, as well as her brother-in-law, Ray Lavey, and many wonderful nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Funeral Services will be Wednesday, April 29 at 9 a.m. from the D'ESOPO-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, corner of Main Street/Maplewood Avenue, East Hartford. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Burnside Avenue, East Hartford. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home chapel on Tuesday, April 28, 4-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Fran's name may be made to St. Mary's Church, 15 Maplewood Avenue, East Hartford, CT 06108. For any on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com