1932 - 2026
Born and raised in Pearl River, New York, Tommie was the daughter of Tom and Mildred Dexter. As a child, she loved tap dancing to Shirley Temple songs. In high school, she was a majorette for the marching band, known for her baton twirling skills and enthusiastic participation in women’s sports. During those years, she also helped her father develop a natural color printing process that enabled him to found Dexter Press, which would become one of the most prominent postcard printing companies in the world.
Tommie graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Business and Commerce and was a proud member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She fondly recalled the many social gatherings of her college years. Her frequent requests for new party dresses eventually led her father to gift her a sewing machine and fabric instead of additional gowns — a story she loved to share.
After graduation, she opened a Manhattan sales office for Dexter Press — conveniently located just one block from Lord & Taylor, much to her delight.
At her sister Dorothy’s wedding, she met Robert “Bob” Reardon of Medway, Massachusetts. It was love at first sight. They married and eventually settled in New City, New York, where they raised their five children: Tom, Rob, Patricia, Aileen, and Dan. Their home was filled with love, laughter, and the joyful chaos of an active family. Each year, Tommie and Bob escaped for a week in the Caribbean to relax, dance the rumba, and renew the love they shared.
In 1978, the family relocated to Sandy Springs, Georgia, where life centered around family, church, and neighborhood gatherings. Tommie and Bob were known for hosting unforgettable Christmas parties — even covering their front steps with snow gathered from a nearby skating rink to enhance the holiday spirit.
In retirement, they built a home in East Cobb designed for family gatherings. They were blessed with 15 grandchildren and eventually 13 great-grandchildren. Annual summer vacations on Cape Cod strengthened bonds among the cousins and became treasured family traditions.
Together, Tommie and Bob traveled the world, visiting every continent except Antarctica — a destination she jokingly dismissed as far too cold. Paris was her favorite city, where she delighted in Impressionist art, especially the works of Monet.
Never ones to sit still, they launched a postcard business in retirement, selling to customers throughout the Caribbean. Bob handled photography, Tommie designed the graphics, and together they managed sales — often timing business trips to coincide with Atlanta’s coldest months when the Caribbean skies were bluest for photography. Evenings were reserved for dinner and dancing.
Tommie and Bob were devoted members of the Catholic Church of St. Ann in East Cobb. Tommie especially cherished her involvement in the Little Rock Scripture Study and parish traditions. The kindness shown to her by parishioners and neighbors in the years following Bob’s passing brought her great comfort, as she deeply missed him.
Tommie is survived by her five children, 15 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her beloved sister, Barbara.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 31, at Patterson Funeral Home, 1157 Old Canton Road, Marietta, Georgia. A chapel ceremony will begin at 2:00 p.m., followed by visitation and a reception.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 28, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 151 Village Street, Medway, Massachusetts, followed by a reception at Primavera, 20 Pleasant Street, Millis. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, February 27, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at the Ginley-Crowley Funeral Home, 3 Barber Street, Medway.
All who knew and loved Tommie are warmly invited to attend and celebrate a life filled with love, adventure, music, and family.
