Alice M. (Patrol) Dunne, 91, of Uxbridge, Mass., formerly of Newtown, died November 17, at her residence with her family at her side. She was the wife of the late Maurice J. Dunne for 65 years. She was born October 13, 1927, in Derby, the daughter of the late George and Helen (Gillon) Patrol.

Despite growing up during the depression, her childhood was filled with happy memories of family outings and coming home to the scent of her mother’s freshly made bread. Her parents showed her that family was the most treasured gift.

Mrs Dunne was a registered nurse, and she so impressed one of her first patients that she introduced Mrs Dunne to her son — and Mrs Dunne’s future husband — Maurice. Her career spanned the busy maternity wards of the baby boom to becoming a psychiatric nurse before her retirement in 1987. Due to her medical background, her daughters never got away with an unjustified sick day.

Some of her favorite memories were of raising her children in Newtown and the lifelong friends she made there. She was an active member of St Rose’s parish.

Mrs Dunne and her husband, Maurice, were known to be well ahead of the times in their advocation of women’s rights and gender equality. She raised four strong daughters and was a self-proclaimed political junkie.

She traveled to Cuba, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, and across the United States with her friends and family. She loved to recount stories of her favorite trips and passed on her love of travel to her children and grandchildren. She read a wide spectrum of books, with a special focus on the Civil War. Her green thumb was validated every holiday when the Christmas cactus that was older than she bloomed again.

Her four daughters, Kathleen Dunne and her partner, Vincent Foscaldi, of Pleasantville, N.Y., Eileen Dunne and her husband, Arthur Baxter, of Mendon, Mass., Roberta Driscoll and her husband, Robert, of Coatesville, Penn., and Christine Landry and her husband, Timothy, of Franklin, Mass.; eight grandchildren, Robert Driscoll, Jeffrey Driscoll, Elizabeth Baxter, Amanda Driscoll McEwen, Alexandra Driscoll, Colin Fernandes, Emily Landry, and Joseph Landry; and six great-grandchildren survive her.

Two sisters, Dorothy Patrol and Helene Skoronski, predeceased her.

Visiting hours will be Friday, November 23, from 9 to 10:30 am, in the Buma Funeral Home, 101 North Main Street (Route 122), Uxbridge, Mass., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am in St Mary’s Church, Mendon Street (Route 16), Uxbridge, Mass. Burial will follow in St Mary’s Cemetery in Franklin, Mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen Street, Framingham MA 01701 or online at cancer.org.

The leave an online condolence, visit bumafuneralhome.com.