Marie Virginia Dyson, 81, of Great Mills, MD, died on Sunday, September 24, 2006 at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington D.C.

Born on August 20, 1925 in Baltimore, MD, she was the daughter of the late Gladys McFee and Col. Royden Streett Meise. She was raised in Salisbury, MD and graduated from Wicomico Senior High School.

She worked for the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company, which brought her to St. Mary's County in the early 1940's. She served as Chief Operator, where she helped establish phone service to the newly formed Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The telephone company arranged employee housing where Marie's landlady later became her mother-in-law. On April 3, 1948, she married her late husband LeRoy Benedict Dyson.

In 1954, the couple expanded the family saw mill operation, known as "The Mill", into the hardware and lumber building supply that it is today. Alongside LeRoy, the two ran Dyson Lumber Company and were later joined by their children to continue the tradition. For many years, Marie was the sole bookkeeper. With all the growth the family-owned and operated Dyson Building Center has achieved over the years, the character of a "mom and pop" operation remains today.

She was a life-time member of Holy Face Catholic Church in Great Mills, serving as a member of the Holy Face Ladies of Charity, the Altar Guild, Catholic Daughters of America, and was Chairman of the Senior Citizens Bingo since its birth in 1975. Marie was always more than willing to do her part in every aspect of the church.

Marie's dedication to her church, family, and community extended to her role in local politics. Beginning in the early 1970s, she became a major force in her son (current State Senator) Roy's political campaigns and career. She was a member of the U.S. Presidential Electoral College in 1992, serving as a representative for Maryland.

In addition to her parents, Marie is preceded in death by her husband LeRoy, who passed away June 20, 1982. She is also preceded in death by two brothers, Bob Meise and Don Meise, and sister, Kitty Althouse. She is survived by one sister, Pat Banks, and one brother, Hugh Meise. She is survived by her children, Roy Dyson, Lee and Marsha Dyson, Vi and B.C. Guzman, J.C. and Sandy Dyson, Lynn Dyson and LeRoy Cram, Mary Katherine and John Bohanan, Patricia Dyson, and Steve and Cindy Dyson.

She is also survived by one great-grandchild, Emma Guzman, and her grandchildren, Anthony and Linda, Carl, Le, Stephanie, Neal, Valerie, Joe, Kristen, Michael, Jarred, Devin, Melanie, Anna, Mark, Hillary, and Brent.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 28 at 4 p.m. at Holy Face Catholic Church in Great Mills with prayers being recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Joseph Sileo and con-celebrant Rev. Kevin O'Reilly on Friday, September 29 at 10 a.m. at Holy Face. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be Bubby Knott, Allen Dyson, Richard Dyson, John Blazer, Pat Ridgell and Joe McKay. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Farquhar, "Baxter", Francis Shepherd and John J. Cullison.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Second District Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692 or Holy Face Ladies, 20408 Point Lookout Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634.

Arrangements were made by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, MD.