Margaret M. Dee

On January 28, 1916, Margaret Dunn was born to Francis Joseph Dunn, age 29, and Catherine Josephine Daley Dunn, age 27. Her birth certificate, recorded by Naugatuck, CT registrar, Joshua W. Rogers, on February 5, 1916, shows Dr. Walter A. Reilly as the attending physician. She was named for her paternal grandmother, Margaret "Maggie" Dalton, whose husband was Michael Dunn. Midge's maternal grandparents were Daniel and Hannah Daley. All of them were of Irish Catholic heritage.





Her father, who was also born in Naugatuck, was a rubber worker. Her mother was born in Waterbury, CT and was trained as a seamstress. Midge was their fifth child and first daughter. Here was quite a buzz in the neighborhood when the word filtered out that the Dunn's finally had a girl. In 1916, she was baptized at St. Francis Church in Naugatuck. In 1918 at the age of two, she moved with her family to Reading, MA., where her father was employed at the old Reading Rubber plant as a foreman. The country was in the midst of World War I, and the town had just built a new town hall and library. Reading has been her hometown ever since. The family included her six brothers: Fran, Ned, Bill, Jim, George, Joe and her sister Mae. Her grandmother Hanna Daley, with whom she had a special relationship, would join them for six months of the year at the 7 John Street homestead.





Midge made her First Penance, First Communion and Confirmation at St. Agnes church in Reading and chose the name Mary, which she continued to use as a middle name. She attended the Union St. School, the Center School and the Highland St. School, which is now the town library. Her class was the first to go through the Walter Parker Junior High, where she enjoyed playing in the gym on the rings. Although her own children did not go to Parker, they all know parts of the school theme song from hearing her hum the tune around the house while she was doing her housework. During the depression years, Midge went to the old Reading High School on Sanborn St. and graduated with the class of 1933.





With the help of Dr. Edward Halligan, a close family friend, she became an operator with the New England Telephone Co., and worked at what is now the Knights of Columbus building on Sanborn St. After work, she and the other operators would stop in to Willis Pharmacy for something at the soda fountain. There, Midge met a young pharmacist from Concord, MA named William Henry "Harry" Dee, Jr. They were married on July 10, 1938. The marriage certificate shows that Harry was 27 and Midge was 22. The ceremony was officiated by Father Gregory M. McGann at St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn, St. Reading, MA.





Midge and Harry made quite a team for over fifty years, he running the Dee Pharmacy at 44 Haven St., she running the house at 39 Fairview Ave. They raised one daughter, Vicki, and three sons, Bill III, Frank and Eddie, losing another daughter, Catherine Josephine, at three days old. Their real life home was known to rival the best that Ozzie and Harriet Nelson ever dreamed of for television. Midge was active in various church (Catholic Daughters of America) and school groups (St. Agnes Guild) while the children were young. As they grew up, she returned to school and received an Associate Degree from Middlesex Community College. She became a licensed social worker for the state and was recognized, by supervisors and clients' families, as a strong advocate for the residents at the Walter E. Fernald State School in Waltham. Her retirement party tribute was unique in the school's history. It was in this professional capacity that she was called by her more formal name, Margaret.





Margaret played the dual part of cherished family matriarch and beloved grandmother to four granddaughters, Elaine Margaret Davidson, Katherine Elizabeth and Jennifer Sarah Dee, Elizabeth Xue Dee and four grandsons, George Andrew Davidson, William Henry Dee IV, Christopher Raymond Dee, and Brian William Davidson. A great grandson, George Andrew Davidson IV, is a recent addition to her loving family.





Margaret passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 26, 2005 at the Woodbriar of Wilmington Rehabilitation Center after hip replacement surgery. She was 89 years old. Visiting hours to remember and honor Margaret with her family will be held at the Joseph Doherty - Barile Family Funeral Home 11 Linden St. READING on Tuesday, May 31st from 4-8pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9am on Wednesday, June 1st at St Agnes Church 186 Woburn St. Reading. Margaret will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Harry, and her daughter, Cathy, at the Forest Glen Cemetery in Reading. The family encourages donations in her memory be made to EMARC, 20 Gould St. Reading, MA 01867.