Thomas Reginald Dyson Jr.

Thomas Reginald DYSON Jr., age 85, of Alexandria, Virginia passed away on Monday, October 11, 2021. Thomas was born January 14, 1936. Thomas Reginald Dyson, Jr., 85, an Alexandria, VA native, passed away on Monday, October 11, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Tom is survived by his four children, Helene ‘Berry’ Kirkpatrick, Deirdre McGonagle, Michael Dyson and Amy Pitzer, their spouses, Shawn Kirkpatrick, Paul McGonagle, Mary Dyson and Mark Pitzer, his six grandchildren, Ryan, Benjamin, Michael, Amy, Max and Meagan, and Helene Sougeron Dyson, the mother of his four children with whom he was married for 37 years until 1997. Tom had deep ties to Alexandria, VA and was the son of his namesake, Thomas Reginald Dyson and Susie Murphy Dyson. He attended what is now known as The Basilica School of Saint Mary in Old Town Alexandria and St. John’s College High School in Washington D.C., where he played football, baseball and basketball. Tom graduated with a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross in Worchester, MA, and received a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He was a criminal defense lawyer for many years in the D.C. area. In his retirement years, Tom pursued his dream of living at the beach, and moved to Berlin, MD where he lived for approximately 20 years in Ocean Pines pursuing his passion for golf. He played golf with family and friends and worked for 20 years as a starter and marshal for several golf courses, including River Run, Ocean City Golf Club and Ocean Pines Golf Club. Tom loved the beach especially with his kids and grandkids. He was an avid reader, had a quick wit, and could hold his own with the best horse handicappers in the world, especially during the Triple Crown. He also loved to root for his favorite sports teams (Washington Redskins, Washington Nationals, Notre Dame Fighting Irish football and Duke Blue Devils basketball). If you were friends with Tom or just met him, you quickly realized that he took a genuine interest in you, your life and your opinions on a variety of topics. Important to him was his Catholic faith and the education he received from the Jesuit Community at Holy Cross. In his life journey he held the Jesuit values of education close to his mind and heart: Cura Personalis; Discernment; Finding God in all things; Magis; Reflection; Service rooted in justice and love; and Solidarity and kinship. A funeral mass will be held at the Basilica of Saint Mary, 310 South Royal St., Alexandria, VA 22314, November 22, 2021 9:30 AM. A burial at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery will be held immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Unity Club, 116B West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA 22046, where Tom was a long-time member and worked until his passing. Tom’s favorite prayer was the Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.