Sara Dyer

A memorial service for Sara Booth "Boots" Gallion Dyer will be held Monday September 30th at 2pm at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in Darlington, MD with a reception prior to the service from 1:15-2pm.

Mrs. Dyer of Plantation Estates in Matthews, NC, formerly of Havre de Grace and Bel Air, Maryland, passed away March 15, 2019 at the young age of 104. She was the widow of the late Honorable Harry E. Dyer, Jr., Circuit Court Judge in Harford County who passed away in 1992. They were married for 51 1/2 years.

Boots was born in Darlington, MD on March 14, 1915 to the late Doctor William E. and Sarah Rites Gallion. An infant brother and her 17-year-old son, Henry (Andy) Andrews Dyer also preceded her in death.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Martha and Lynn White of Albemarle, NC and their daughter Brittany White Coman and her husband Ryan of Charlotte, NC. She is also survived by her late husband's nieces and nephews, as well as many friends near and far.

Just a few months prior to her passing, Boots was thrilled to attend her only grandchild's September wedding. Another highlight was knowing that she was to become a great-grandmother. Claire Elizabeth was born two months after Boots' passing and will be raised knowing she has Grandma Boots watching over her always.

Mrs. Dyer was born and raised in Darlington, MD. In 1931 she graduated from Bel Air High School where she was the first May Day Queen. She went on to graduate in 1935 from Randolph Macon Women's College (Lynchburg, VA) where she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority and from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (Baltimore, MD) in 1938.

She and Harry married March 29, 1941 just days before he was drafted. During his military career they were posted at various stations throughout the USA. Soon after returning to Harford County, MD following his military service, they adopted Andy and later, Martha. The family lived in Havre de Grace for many years where Boots enjoyed being active in numerous clubs and activities, including gardening, playing bridge and golf, antique shopping and volunteering. For many years she was either involved in showing prized jonquils or judging them, and was an active member or the Evergreen Garden Club. In the mid-to-late 1970s the Dyers moved to Bel Air, MD, spending their winters at their Florida home, traveling the world and caravanning across the country in their Airstream. In 1991, in order to be closer to their daughter and family, the Dyers moved to Plantation Estates where they remained active as their health permitted.

Though remaining a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Bel Air, once in Matthews, Boots attended Matthews Presbyterian Church while able.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Mrs. Dyer's name to Grace Memorial Episcopal Church P.O. Box 35, Darlington, MD 21034 or to the charity of the donor's choice.