Margaret Dimes
Dedicated Wife, Mother and Public Servant
Margaret “Marge” Dimes passed away peacefully on January 28 at MGH’s Phillips House Hospice ward. She was 97 years old. She was a dedicated wife to Richard “Dick” Dimes, her high school sweetheart at Chelsea High School and husband of 73 years. Born Margaret Nolan in Chelsea in 1926, she was one of eleven children, and despite being born in the middle of the pack, she was the last surviving child of the Nolan clan. She met her husband in high school but made him wait a bit (in her words) before agreeing to date. They married in 1947 and moved to Cambridge where the first two of their children were born. In the 1950’s, she and Dick moved to Winthrop, first to Point Shirley, where their third child was born, and then to Johnson Ave. Besides raising their children in “The Town by the Sea,” the couple became lifelong public servants of Winthrop. Whereas Dick was involved mainly in town politics, Margaret was involved in various town organizations such as the Winthrop Beautification Committee, Winthrop Historical Society, Dollars for Scholars, and others. Alongside her husband, she was also a town meeting member for many years and a member of the Cottage Park Yacht Club. If there was one thing that she was probably most known for, it was her baking skills. We called her the “Bakesale Queen,” as she was continuously baking for all sorts of fundraisers, much to the delight of her children (and their friends) who always got a share of the baked delights. Margaret is survived by her daughter, Deborah and her husband, Frank Traniello of Sarasota, Florida, son, Richard and his wife, Cami of Stanwood, WA and son, Jonathan and wife, Mia Ambata of Baltimore; adored grandmother of Marisa Traniello and her husband, Andrew Goumas, Vanessa Traniello and her husband, Erik Kaminski, Corianda Dimes and wife Mackenzie Johnson, Tyler Dimes, Kimberly and the late Christopher Dimes; great grandmother to Natalie Garner, Westly, Millie, and Sophie Kaminski and Isabella Nolan Goumas. A public figure in life, Margaret’s wishes were for no public memorial service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Winthrop Improvement & Historical Association, P.O.Box 520177, 40 Shirley Street, Winthrop, MA 02152. Funeral arrangements were by the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, 210 Winthrop St., Winthrop. To sign Margaret’s guestbook, please visit: www.mauricekirbyfh.com.