Lynne Dawson Reber, 79, of Lee, passed away peacefully while her children held her hand on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Mass.
Lynne was born in Washington, D.C., on January 30, 1946, the daughter of Thomas and Mildred (Patterson) Dawson. Her family moved to Long Island when she was young and she attended local Islip, N.Y., schools, graduating with the class of 1964 from Islip High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree from (the former) C.W. Post College (now Long Island University) with a major in education and a minor in sociology.
Upon college graduation, Lynne married John E. Reber, whom she met at C.W. Post College, and they moved to Atlanta, Ga., for Jack’s army training. She taught elementary school and middle school for 20 years in Georgia; Maryland; Sayville, N.Y.; Rhode Island; and Massachusetts. After 20 years of teaching, she changed careers to follow her dream of becoming a child protective and adoption social worker for DCF until she retired in 2013.
Two years after her father was suddenly killed in a car accident, Lynne (age 16) and her mom took a cross-country road trip, seeing 48 states and Canada and Mexico. And so began her love for travel. She traveled to Turks and Caicos, Tahiti, and 12 countries in Europe, including Greece, Turkey, England, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Monaco, and Liechtenstein. Her last trip to complete her bucket list was to China to see the Great Wall and to Tibet for its tranquility. She had so many wonderful memories from all of her travels.
Lynne loved roses (pink and purple), reading, and the beach. She spent many hours walking on the beach looking for shells. Lynne loved swimming and was a Red Cross swimming instructor for many summers on Long Island during her high school and college years. She enjoyed crocheting and crafting, especially making and gifting her signature decoupage books. She loved all things Christmas, Broadway shows, and musicals. She loved going to Tanglewood and was a volunteer on the lawn for a few years. She loved animals and creatures of all kinds. She enjoyed going to JD and Laura’s games, recitals, and school events when they were growing up—she never missed one.
Lynne lived a life that didn’t need to be told—her actions spoke louder. She exemplified living life with grace and class and with no regrets and to always dance in the rain. She exemplified empathy and kindness to others, always. She was a planner and always prepared and thought ahead. She was patient, giving, and kind. Laughter is the best medicine, and she brought so much laughter, joy, and love to all those who knew her. Her family was the most important thing to her, and she treasured her family. Lynne was able to turn any situation into something positive and joyful! The glass was always half full in her eyes. She had the biggest heart. She was the rock of the family, their anchor, their True North.
Lynne was predeceased by her parents, Thomas and Mildred Dawson, as well as her former husband, Jack Reber. She leaves her beloved children who were her love and light, Laura Miskinis and JD Reber, both of Lenox; her son-in-law whom she adored, Richard Miskinis; and her grandsons, Jack and Ryan, whom she loved with all her heart and enjoyed all the time she had with them. In Jack and Ryan’s words, she was always “positive and spreading joy.” She also leaves her sister-in-law (whom she always thought of more like a sister than in-law), Margaret Gerstung, and two nephews, Matthew and Ryan Gerstung. Finally, she leaves her beloved Teddy, her 10-year-old dog who enjoyed going on car rides with her.
Lynne truly lived a life with no regret and always said, “Do not sing sad songs for me when I’m gone, for I have lived a life to be grateful for and will shine on like the sun, the moon and the stars. I’m the breeze that kisses your cheek.”
