Julia Dyer

Julia Dyer (nee Thixton), beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, died peacefully on Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Greensboro, North Carolina, surrounded with love from her family. She was 99 years old.

A dear friend to so many, in the truest sense; always thoughtfully writing letters or cards to celebrate a birthday, acknowledge an accomplishment, or just to show she was thinking of you.  Fiercely independent, Julia lived a full life on her own terms. She was never lacking a social calendar, always up for a competitive game of bridge, or a meal shared with a few or many. A special evening was made all more special, if she’d sidle up to the piano for a rousing chorus of “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue." Julia was an avid reader who enjoyed staying abreast of current events, always ready to discuss the latest political folly (a trope that will outlive us all). She could reliably be found each morning with a scalding cup of coffee and a newspaper, easily mastering the crossword and other puzzles therein.

Born and raised in Salem, on Oct. 25, 1922, Julia went on to graduate from the University of Indiana, and later, the University of Louisville for her Master of Social Work, where she met her husband of 46 years, Ivan Dyer. They shared a love of tennis, golf, and travel, but all second to the love they had for one another.

Julia and Ivan raised five children in Royal Oak, Michigan, before she went back to work as a social worker for Oakland County Juvenile Court, where she was universally cherished and respected for her profound impact on the lives of countless young women.

Julia was preceded in death by her husband and her sons James, John and Thomas Dyer.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Anne and Ron Winner; her daughter and son-in-law, Jane Dyer and George Hurst; her grandchildren, Andrew Scott, Katy Dyer, Elizabeth Standish, and John Hurst; and her great grandchildren, Lillian Lowrey, Bobby Dyer-Lowrey, and Charles Standish.

Her family will host a memorial service at the Salem Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 2, at 9:30 a.m. She will be laid to rest next to Ivan at Crown Hill Cemetery.  The family will host a Celebration of Life at her second home in Treasure Island, Florida on July 30, with time and location to be determined at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Habitat for Humanity.