Fay A. (Eddy) Dyer

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Fay A. (Eddy) Dyer, 96, of Warwick, passed away on Friday, April 15, 2016. She was the beloved wife of the late Thomas F. Dyer.

Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Clifford M. Eddy, Jr. and Muriel E. (Gammons) Eddy. She grew up and raised her family in Providence before moving to Warwick 35 years ago. Fay was involved in many social and community programs while raising her family. She worked in the Head Start programs for the Providence School Department, as an enrollment representative for the Providence Health Center, and as a coordinator for the education department of Progress for Providence. She served as a supervisor and coordinator of the South Providence Fact Finding Committee Youth Employment Program. Fay led a knitting class for the University of RI Extension Project and held a certificate in leader training for the URI Cooperative Extension Service. She also served as co-chairman of the South Providence Action Committee for Education and helped to spearhead recommendations concerning schools in the area. She served as President of the RI Writers Guild for many years.

Fay was an experienced seamstress and dressmaker, creating many of her own patterns. As a young woman, she created dance costumes for her father’s theatre shows and wedding dresses for her friends. She was an accomplished crafts person and a beloved participant at many area craft shows through the years until the age of 80. Well known for her beautifully crocheted baby sweater sets, she also created beautiful baby quilts and one-of-a-kind sewn items. She enjoyed dancing and took the opportunity at every function to show off her style. Fay was a big Elvis fan and enjoyed listening to his music. A leap year baby, she celebrated a true birthday only once every 4 years. She enjoyed telling everyone her age in leap years rather than her actual age. She was particularly proud of the drivers’ license issued to her at the age of 80, a license that declared that she was a “minor”, not quite legal at the leap year age of 20. Throughout her life, Fay was a caretaker, not only raising her family, but opening her home to many relatives and friends in need. Her house was always filled with laughter and love.

She was the loving mother of Helen Antonizio and her husband, Antonio of Johnston, Dorothy Fryer and her husband, Gilbert of Hope Valley, John Dyer and his wife, Patricia of Cranston, Thomas R. Dyer and his wife, Debra of Norwalk, IA, Frances Dyer and her husband, Thomas Suita of Warwick, James Dyer and his wife, Lauren of Narragansett, and the late Thomas F. Dyer and William J. Dyer. She was the sister of the late Clifford M. Eddy and the late Ruth M. (Eddy) Bell. Fay was a loving grandmother to 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by several nieces and their families. She will be missed by her family and the friends whose lives she touched with her kindness and smile.

Her funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 20, at 8:45 a.m. from the Barrett & Cotter Funeral Home, 1328 Warwick Avenue, Spring Green, Warwick, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Kevin Church, 333 Sandy Lane, Warwick. Burial will follow in St. Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Hope Hospice & Palliative Care RI, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904. www.barrettandcotter.com