Norman Charles Dyer

Born January 13, 1933 Norman Charles "Charlie" Dyer was the oldest of 5 children and only son of Mary (Schroth) Dyer and Charles Dyer. A Washington DC native, he grew up roaming the Capitol Hill NE neighborhood where he attended St Joseph's Elementary School, served as an Altar Boy, and boxed and played basketball at the Boys & Girls Club of Washington. Charlie went to high school at St John's Military College and from there attended college at Georgetown University. It was in the DayHop commuter student lounge that he met his lifelong friends-Nelson (Port) Britto, Joe Wilding, and Joe Mealy and mastered his lifelong passion of bridge. He graduated in 1955 with a degree in Military Science and then set off for Fort Bliss in El Paso to honor his ROTC commitment. He completed his service as an Army Second Lieutenant in Connecticut.

Life took a wonderful turn in 1958 while Charlie was working at Riggs Bank in Washington. There he spied a young French woman, Monique Brabant, who within a year became his wife. The love of his life, he and Monique moved to Columbia, MD to raise their 4 children-Colette, Nicole, Therese and Charles. With a growing family, Charlie attended law school at George Washington University at night while working full time in administrative jobs at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. He often told the story of studying for the Bar exam in the bathroom-the only quiet place in the house!

The next two decades were spent revolving between raising his family on Groveleigh Dr, working in The Office of Counsel at APL, and worshipping at St Louis Catholic Church. His Sundays were split between attending 9:30am Mass and afternoons cheering for his beloved Redskins, often directly from the stands at the various stadiums they called home. Charlie volunteered extensively, helping establish APL's Federal Credit Union, serving on the Pension Committee, participating in the Knights of Columbus, and serving on the Parish Council. A Clarksville picnic enthusiast, you could always find Charlie spinning the wheel at the "Big 6" followed by an all-you-can-eat fried chicken feast under the big tent. Despite these activity, most days he was home for dinner at 5:30 pm like clockwork.

The Dyer children describe their father as a man of integrity with a strong moral compass. He was a supportive parent who took joy in his children's accomplishments. A lifelong learner and reader, he believed it was never too late to learn, especially about history. And oh how he loved and treasured books! Charlie was faithful-to God, his wife and his family. He seldom offered words of wisdom, but a few come to mind:
Count yourself lucky if you go through life with a few good friends.
Stay away from the extremes in life. Best to compromise and move to the middle.
Attend Mass weekly and don't forget those Holy Days of Obligation.
Save, save, save for retirement.
And always root for the Burgundy & Gold.

A father of four, grandfather of 15 and great grandfather of 15, Charlie took such pride and joy in his family. He will be deeply missed. He is survived by his children Colette (Mark) Wetzel, Nicole (Richard) Dumais, Therese (Drew) Caplan and Charles (Carina) Dyer. In addition, he leaves behind his sisters Betty Farrell, Cathy Klein and Patty Cole. He is predeceased by his devoted wife Monique, his sister Nancy Scott, and his grandson Patrick M Wetzel.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, September 11:00am at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church located at 8300 Old Columbia Road in Fulton, MD. The family will greet guests in the church beginning at 10:30am with Mass following at 11:00.