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Lois Jean Dion-Roberts, 87, of Manchester, died Jan. 31, 2016.
Lois Jean was born May 8, 1928, in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Mary Day. She attended Manchester High School and went on to St. Joseph College, School of Nursing, graduating in 1950 with Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and a teaching certificate for secondary school in biology and chemistry. She later returned to St. Joseph College and graduated in 1970 with an master's degree to teach Grades 1 through 8. In 1950, Lois Jean was the head nurse at Manchester Convalescent Home for a couple of years and then became a visiting nurse for Boston Public Health Nurses Association and later for the Hartford Public Health Nurses Association. She then changed careers, and from 1970 to 1990 was a teacher in Manchester at Bennett Junior High teaching math and biology, and then at Manchester High School where she taught biology, chemistry, and health.
Lois Jean was a loving, caring wife and mother. She was very creative and made many beautiful wreaths and decorative things. She had a talent for gardening. She was very active and enjoyed playing tennis and doing aerobics. She ran the Manchester Road Race from 1990 to 2005 (stopping when she was 77). Lois Jean was Italian, and although she spoke only a few words, she loved to listen to Italian music and would sing along. Dancing was another love. She did square dancing and particularly loved to polka.
Lois Jean is survived by four children, Maryann Altieri, Donna Murphy and her husband, Richard Murphy, Mark Dion, and Michael Dion and his wife, Lisa Dion. She had eight grandchildren, survived by seven, and 10 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter Theresa Vontell. Lois Jean was also predeceased by her loving husband of 51 years, Wilfred "Bill" F. Dion, and her second husband, whom she married a couple of years after Bill's death at the age of 77, John (Jack) L. Roberts, and spent 4½ happy years with him.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at St. James Church 896 Main St., Manchester. Burial will follow at St. James Cemetery.
Family and friends may call at John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center St., Manchester, Thursday, Feb. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m.
For online condolences, visit
www.tierneyfuneralhome.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
5 Entries
To my cousins,
I am so sorry for aunt lois passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you. God Bless.
Dotty Wierzbicki
Dorothy Wierzbicki
February 4, 2016
Dotty Wierzbicki
February 4, 2016
Thank you Mrs. Dion for being one of the teachers at Bennet I will always remember.
Lisa Campbell
February 2, 2016
Wow, now that is a life well lived. She was the greatest teacher, one of my all time favorites. As I said on Facebook I saw her years and years later on Main Street and she still remembered me and recounted a couple of funny stories. My sympathies to her family for losing such a great woman.
Janet McCann
February 2, 2016
To the Family of Lois-Jean,
Please accept our heartfelt condolences on the loss of your mother. You are in our thoughts and prayers during this time.
Sincerely,
Sarah Blanchard
Director of Alumni Relations
University of Saint Joseph
(formerly Saint Joseph College)
February 2, 2016
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4
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
John F. Tierney Funeral Home219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040
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John F. Tierney Funeral Home219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040
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