DWYER, Alice (Walsh), 86, September 6, 2015. Interment to be held in the Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements by Bowers Funeral Home.
HOULTON – Alice (Walsh) Dwyer, 86, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2015, with her loving family by her side at Madigan Estates Nursing Home, after a long period of declining health.
The sparkle in her eyes and her impish smile will long be remembered by all those who knew her. Alice’s history is full of remarkable stories. She was born on March 30, 1929 in Somerville, MA, the youngest of Sophia & John Walsh’s nine children. Alice was courted by Philip Dwyer, a dental student from Maine attending Tufts University.
On August 6, 1950 Alice married Phil and left for Houlton, Maine to set up his dental practice. Although she was only 21 years old and had never been away from home, Alice worked shoulder to shoulder with the now Dr. Dwyer. Through their years together they remained each other’s best friend and Alice learned to hunt, fish, help with basic mechanical repair, carpentry and even worked with Phil to build a camp together with their boys Butchy & Jimmy. Although Alice appeared to be demure, she held her own in all of her endeavors – again the stories tell it all.
Alice attended Military Street Baptist Church for the majority of her adult life and there found a joy in teaching Sunday school and attending the senior class that Phil taught. Alice was a faithful and giving member of her church family.
Alice was predeceased by her best friend and husband of 57 years, Dr. Philip Dwyer, a son Philip “Butch” Dwyer, Jr., and seven of her eight siblings; Joe, Paul, Bill, Frank, Ed & Mary Walsh and Helen Donovan. She was also predeceased by a sister-in-law Geraldine Smart.
Alice is survived by one son, James Dwyer and his wife Rosalie of Presque Isle, and two grandchildren; Erin Dwyer Hoffses and her partner, Joe Laplante, of Washburn, and Marc Dwyer of Presque Isle. She is also survived by one sister, Doris Tansey and her husband, Bill, of Weymouth, MA, sisters-in-law Virginia Hempstead of OH, and Mary Erickson of OR, a brother-in-law, Alton “Bud” Dwyer of FL, and many nieces and nephews. Alice is survived by her dear friends Dr. Peter Stanley, Dr. Ed & Nadine Williams, Molly Sawyer and Mac Eleiott & John Hoffses as well as her church family.
Alice dearly loved her Madigan family including Shannon Stewart, Becky Breton, Desirae Miclette, Ann Folsom and many others.
The Dwyer family would like to thank all of the wonderful staff at Madigan Estates Nursing home for their compassionate and nurturing care of Alice over the past several years. We just can’t thank you enough.
Donations in Alice’s memory may be made to Madigan Estates or the Military Street Baptist Church.
Friends may call 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, at Bowers Funeral Home, 10 Water Street, Houlton. Funeral Services will be held 1 p.m. Friday September 11, at Military Street Baptist Church with the Rev. Randall Burns off. Interment will be in the Evergreen Cemetery Houlton. For online condolences please visit www.bowersfuneral.com.
