Miriam Dwyer

1921 - 2016

Miriam "Mitzi"

G.









Dwyer

1921 - 2016

Mitzi Dwyer passed away peacefully on January 2, 2016 after a brief illness, surrounded by family, lots of love and her favorite football team, the Oregon Ducks, playing their final game of the season on TV.

She was born Miriam Louise Gibbs on April 24, 1921 to Edward and Mabel Gibbs of Medina, Ohio. She was a Medina resident much of her life graduating from Medina High School 1939. She then graduated from Flora Stone Mather College for Women in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science degree and, on February 15, 1943, married the love of her life Dr. William E. Dwyer, Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio. After numerous moves, Mitzi and Bill ended up back in Medina where he hung his shingle as a general surgeon and they settled in to raise their family. She was the consummate wife and mother. Always willing to help, she was very active in her community and church. She cherished her friends and her friends cherished her. Her grace, easy demeanor and sense of humor made her the person you wanted to be around.

Mitzi was a lover of nature and sports. She had a bit of a green thumb and took great pride in her gardens. She became an excellent golfer, played district golf for several years and continued to play into her eighties. She wasn't afraid to bait a hook and enjoyed throwing her catch back 'to live another day' as much as she enjoyed catching it. She kept a book on birds close by so she could identify any species she was unfamiliar with and made sure her bird feeder was full at all times. She was a voracious reader and always had reference books available to look things up that sparked her interest. She was so fond of the written word that her children purchased a shelf bearing her name in the downtown Eugene Library as a gift for her one year.

She has said more than once that she has had a full and wonderful life, seeing more and doing more than she could ever have imagined. After her husband's retirement, Mitzi and Bill lived in Mt. Dora, FL for many years and she loved having her children and grandchildren visit. Nine years ago, they moved to Eugene, OR to be near family. When Bill died about a year after they arrived in Eugene, Mitzi remained very active exploring Oregon with Kate and Brad, her daughter and son-in-law. She also enjoyed visits to and from her children and grandchildren in Grants Pass, OR and Las Vegas, NV.

Mitzi was preceded in death by her husband Dr. William E. Dwyer, Jr. and her sister, Barbara Jean Elliott. She is survived by her children; William E. Dwyer, III (Kathleen) of Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Timothy G. Dwyer (Marianne) of Grants Pass, OR, and Kathleen D. Iles (Bradley) of Eugene, OR. She is also survived by five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren plus many nieces and nephews.

We all felt blessed to have Mitzi with us as long as we did. The following is an excerpt from a loving tribute her eldest grandchild, Kelly, wrote immediately upon learning of Mitzi's death.

"I am so deeply sad at the passing of my amazing, magical grandmother, Miriam 'Mitzi' Dwyer. She was almost ninety-five and lived her very best life and died at home with her family around her. I take comfort in that. If only we could all be so lucky to have health, independence and so much love right up to the end! I am incredibly blessed to have known her, much less been her granddaughter and the specialness of our relationship has become more evident as I have grown up and experienced a world that she introduced me to. She was patient, nurturing and wise, everything you could want the matriarch of a family to be. The things that were most dear to me seem so intimate and indefinable--her beautiful eyes and the way she looked at me, her hands and the way she held me, her voice and the way she guided me, her spirit and the way it lifted me. These are indescribable moments between us that are just memories of feelings. I am glad that she is at peace, living on in my heart and the hearts of so many that loved her."

Until the very end, Mitzi was still making friends. Gladys, we knew you were an angel when you came and befriended her during a very difficult time for all. You helped to make sure she died comfortably and with dignity. We will always be grateful for the love you showed her. Also, Cascade Hospice of Eugene, OR was wonderful. Once they were in the picture, Mitzi's journey became a lot smoother so thank you ladies and gentlemen of Cascade. At Mitzi's request, there will be no service. A family get together is planned for later in the year in her honor. The family requests any tributes be made to Cascade Hospice of Eugene, OR or a charity of the donor's choice.