Wanda A. Dwyer-Power

Wanda (Johnson) Dwyer Power, age 96, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2025, in Hudson, Massachusetts. Born on August 22, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, Wanda lived a long and full life marked by devotion to her family, her faith, and the many traditions she lovingly upheld.

Wanda was the beloved mother of Patricia (Dwyer) Nicols and her husband George, and Teresa (Dwyer) Maher and her fiancé Steven Pierce. She was also the cherished mother of the late Debra (Dwyer) Morton Cook, who passed away earlier this year. Wanda's legacy continues through her grandchildren: Joseph Edie and his wife Leigh (Williamson), Sara (Edie) Sharpe and her partner James Sharpe, Bob Morton and his wife Heather (Nelson), Tommy Morton, Amy Nicols Villeda and her husband Christopher Villeda Meneses, and Julie Nicols and her husband Tue Dac Ho. She was also deeply proud of her nine great-grandchildren: Rebecca Beaudoin, Amanda Beaudoin, Joseph Edie, Tobias Edie, Seeley Morton, Kaliope Morton, Deacon Morton, Maverick Morton and eagerly anticipated the arrival of Layla Rose Sharpe.

Wanda also shared a warm bond with her stepson Randall Power and his wife Alexandra (Clark) Power, as well as their son Dylan Power, her step-grandson. Additionally, she leaves behind another step-grandson, Joseph Penwell, his wife Gracen and their son Declan.

She was predeceased by two loving husbands: Joseph Patrick Dwyer, the father of her daughters, who passed in 1993; and William J. Power, whom she married later in life and who passed in 2012. Wanda also mourned the loss of her oldest grandchild Angela (Edie) Beaudoin in 2024.

A devoted military wife for 17 years to her Air Force husband Joseph Patrick Dwyer, who had already served three years before their marriage, Wanda embodied strength and resilience. In the mid-1960s, she packed up her homebody heart and moved with her family to Izmir, Turkiye for a tour of duty. Later in that decade, when her husband served in Vietnam, she remained stateside with their three daughters, navigating the challenges of separation without modern communication tools like email or texting.

Wanda's Catholic faith was a cornerstone of her life. She attended Mass faithfully for many years. Even when age prevented her from going in person, she listened to daily Mass on television and read Bible devotionals each day. In one touching moment near the end of her life, when comforted with the reminder that Jesus wept at Lazarus's death, she exclaimed with recognition and joy: "I know that story!"

Known affectionately as Mom, Grandma, Aunt Wanda, and sometimes all three at once, she was sassy and quirky in all the best ways. She nagged lovingly and worried endlessly about those she held dear. Her family knew that behind every concern was a deep well of love. Wanda's home was the heart of every holiday celebration. No matter how many times others offered to host to give her a break, she insisted on keeping the tradition alive, complaining only that she'd be bored otherwise. Her hospitality was legendary; she nourished not just with food but with presence. She remembered every name and birthday across generations and delighted in hearing every detail about everyone's lives, even scouring Facebook despite age-related macular degeneration to stay connected. She loved nurturing tomato plants each summer and took pride in tending to them just as she did with her family: patiently and attentively. Her curiosity never waned; neither did her desire to bring people together.

If you ask any of Wanda's daughters or grandchildren or nieces or nephews or great-grandchildren or friends or pretty much anyone, they will tell you something they learned from Grandma: how to love fiercely; how to laugh loudly; how to show up for each other, for the family especially, without fail. Her presence will be sorely missed but forever felt at every gathering around a table or under a summer sun where tomatoes ripen on the vine.

May Wanda's memory bring comfort to all who knew and loved her. Calling hours will be held on September 12, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Tighe Hamilton Funeral Home 50 Central Street, Hudson, MA 01749. A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating her life will be held the following day, Saturday, September 13th, 2025, at 11:00 am at Saint Michael Parish, 23 Manning Street, Hudson, MA, followed by a procession to Saint Michael's Cemetery, Hudson, for committal services.