Obituary of Debra Dew

Debra A. Dew a teacher at the Shawsheen Valley Technical High School and Minuteman Technical High School passed away after a battle with cancer on Saturday evening, March 29, 2014. She was 49 years old. Debbie was born in Boston and was a lifelong resident of Burlington. She was a 1983 graduate of Burlington High School and received the prestigious “Scholar Athlete” award. She earned her BS Degree from Providence College and then her Master’s in Education from University of Massachusetts Lowell. She worked in the commercial sector as a Software Engineer at many local companies. After a number of years, she decided to change her career and become a teacher. She was a math teacher at Minutemen Technical High School in Lexington and then Shawsheen Valley Technical High School in Billerica. Family was everything to Debbie. She was the loving wife to husband Gary for 20 years. She devoted her life to her children and as a parent supported them in their education, sports, and interests. She volunteered her time at Francis Wyman School and served on the founding committee for the Francis Wyman Carnival. She was always standing quietly in the stands or on the sidelines supporting and encouraging her children in their track meets, basketball and soccer games, band performances, and other events and school activities. She always looked forward to vacations with family and friends, camping on the shores of Cape Cod, Disney World, or the annual Shaw family trips to Golden Eagle or Snowy Owl Resorts. Debbie never wanted to be the center of attention, rather as part of a family and group, where she could be herself and enjoy the blessing of loving and being loved by others she cared for. Her passing at such a young age is difficult for family and friends to accept, but she has left them with myriad of memories which they can carry in their hearts and minds. Debbie was the loving wife of Gary Dew. She was the loving mother of Alyssa, Matthew, and Kirsten Dew. She was the daughter of Ann (Shaw) Eagan of Burlington and the late Thomas Eagan, Jr. and sister of Nancy O’Callaghan & her husband Steve and Maureen Eagan all of Burlington. She was the daughter-in-law of Jill Dew of Medfield & Westwood and Benton Dew & his wife Kathy of Hudson, formerly of Westwood and sister-in-law of Sally & Brian Beaulieu of Medfield and Jennifer & David Young of Natick. She was the aunt of Caroline & Maeve O’Callaghan, David & Deanne Beaulieu, and Ryan & Georgia Young. Debra was also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side) on Thursday, April 3 at 8:45 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Malachy Church, 99 Bedford St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. To assist with parking, shuttle bus service will be provided from St. Margaret’s Church parking lot (111 Winn St.). Interment in Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Debbie’s name may made to Let’s do it for the Dews, c/o Century Bank, 134 Cambridge St., Burlington, MA 01803. Eulogy written by Nancy and Maureen On behalf of Gary, Alyssa, Matthew, Kirsten, My mom , my sister Maureen , myself and my family I want to extend a huge thank you for everything that each one of you have done over the last couple of weeks. Each gesture was so special and made such a difference and We are forever grateful. We asked Gary if we could do this because I think it is important to touch upon Debs whole life. As our older sister she has been in our lives since the day We were born. She always took her role as big sister very responsibly leading us in a way without ever really needing to say a word, She was always the smart one in the family you know when you were in school and faced with the oh your Debbie's sister-it was sometimes a challenge following in her footsteps but she always encouraged us with our own strengths. When we were young growing up in Hyde park, we lived in a house with a laundry shoot from the third floor to the basement an early memory was Debs idea to play go fish, she would strategically place Maureen and I at the top and her at the bottom. When the game would start and we would ask 'Do you have any Jacks? She would reply I do but I can't put it up the shoot. Then it was her turn Do you got any Jacks and I would happily throw it down the shoot -it took many years later after a move from that house that I figured out I never stood a chance at ever winning that game. Her brains didn't stop there she went on to graduate from Burlington High 7th in a class of close to 400. She won many scholarships including one which we continue to talk about-senior scholar athlete was for one girl and one boy each year. Her picture hangs in Burlington High by where Alyssa fondly calls the Debbie Dew stairway! At our house it hung alone in our family room and my dad often joked that anyone that walked by would have to genuflect at it! Off to Providence college and a career in computers followed. Then came the day when she was living on Grove St in Woburn and our family met a guy that we all knew instantly was &quote;the one&quote;. Deb and Gary Started dating and Gary already had plans to move to Wyoming so off he went and the long distance romance started. She soon after took a trip to visit which followed soon after that by Gary relocating back to Massachusetts! It wasn't long after that that Maureen and I returned from a cruise to be picked up by Deb and Gary with their huge smiles and a shiny ring on her finger that Gary had strategically placed in an Easter egg on Easter morning. Wedding, house and then there family started to expand . I remember being in Disney World in the little mermaid show and Deb being so excited that.she had just felt Alyssa move inside her for the first time. Deb and Gary joked that if it was a girl that perhaps they would name her Ariel ! But it was never anything but Alyssa and she made their and all of our lives so full. She became pregnant with Matthew and glowed from the beginning and throughout her whole pregnancy she was so excited to provide him with the middle name Thomas after my Dad since this was the first boy in the family. When Kirsten came along there dreams of a perfect family were completed and she never disappoints with her perky personality and little high pitched voice. As I mentioned earlier Debbie was really smart and could have been any powerhouse she wanted to be but her role as wife and mother was what she wanted the most in life. She was always taking on way too much shuttling around to practices, games, meets, dance, Nanny's pool and everything else, She changed careers to teaching so that she would be home with them during the summers and vacations. So many great family memories they had, great vacations to Disney, Florida to visit with Gary's dad, cape with both sides of the family, the annual snowy owl visit with the Shaw's, loon with Gary's family, What provided her with much happiness was the loving home she created at 19 Old Colony- It continues to be a meeting spot for family and friends, That's why to get her home to that was so very very important! I Rode with her in the ambulance from Lahey clinic home last Friday and that mile ride she held my hand and she said &quote;this is going to be the hardest day-I said I know but it's where you belong and she said I know&quote; When my dad died I had just started dating my husband Steve-we used to always listen to the Irish hour and a song came on that really touched my heart. So much that I would each week call to request this song and drive Steve crazy. The week after Deb was diagnosed and starting chemo treatments the girls all had a recital. We were running around getting flowers for them doing hair and on the radio in the kitchen came this song and Steve and I looked at each other and both said that's my dad looking out for her, I wanted to share a part of the song: When life held troubled times and had me down on my knees There's always been someone, to come along and comfort me A kind word from a stranger, to lend a helping hand A phone call from a friend , just to say I understand But ain't it kind of funny, at the dark end of the road That someone lights the way, with just a single ray of hope Oh I believe there are angels among us Sent down to us, from somewhere up above They one to you and me, in our darkest hours To show us how to live, to teach us how to give To guide us with the light of love Now we should feel blessed that we have Deb looking over us. Lastly the day Deb went into the hospital we were at her house and having a very emotional conversation, I said Deb you have held your cards close to your chest throughout this whole illness but things will be ok. In her stoic fashion she said &quote;I have fought like hell but it Is what it is &quote; I just wish to tell her It's not really the hand she wanted to be dealt but she played it beautifully and we are so proud of her. We will miss her tremendously. What I first started thinking about her leaving. I was thinking that she took a piece of our hearts with her. But with true Debbie fashion she left us with broken hearts that memories and love will help to heal.