Dorothy Ann "Dot" Deegan

Mrs. Dorothy Ann “Dot” Deegan, age 80, of Gainesville passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2023 at Lanier Village Estates, surrounded by her family.

A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 11 AM at St. Michaels Catholic Church in Gainesville with inurnment following at Memorial Park South Cemetery, Flowery Branch.  Father Tim Hepburn will officiate.  All are welcome to attend and celebrate the beautiful life of Dot.

She is survived by her husband and best friend of 57 years, Jack Deegan; daughters, Danielle Butterworth (Matt), Donna Bennevendo (Richard) and Dawn Randall (Allen). She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren, Madelyn and Paige Butterworth, Jacob, Rachel and Joshua Bennevendo and Logan and Brandon Randall, as well as her nieces, nephews, and many dear friends. 

Dot was born September 11, 1943, to the late Joseph & Elizabeth Flaherty in New York, New York.  She was a member of St. Michaels Catholic Church. For many years, she was a stay-at-home mom, a devoted wife supporting Jack’s career and many family moves, and an avid volunteer with the school system, recreational sports, her church, and Girl Scouts.  Her admired leadership with the PTA organizations in the many schools her daughters attended led to significant improvements with parent involvement, teacher support, fundraising, and student activities. 

Upon moving to Georgia in 1983, Dot become a bookkeeper with the Gwinnet County Board of Education and subsequently retired.  She also became actively involved with the Atlanta Lawn and Tennis Association (ALTA) as a player and later as an esteemed volunteer. 

Dot’s generosity and overwhelming kindness, led to the Deegan house being the house that was always open for friends, family and most importantly, her daughters’ friends.  No one left the house without feeling welcomed, loved, and doted on.

Dot’s grandchildren were the light of her life.  The love she showered on her daughters was generous and grew with the arrival of each grandchild.  While she will be missed, she will have the best seat in the house when her two oldest grandchildren, Madelyn, and Logan, marry the loves of their lives in 2024.

Dot’s network of friends grew continuously, and she will be sorely missed by everyone that called her a friend.  She is best known for her beautiful and welcoming smile, her kindness, and her servant's heart, always ready to help a friend.  She never met a stranger and she set an amazing example of love for her daughters and grandchildren.  We are forever grateful for the love she poured into everyone she encountered.

In the evenings, she never ended a conversation with her husband, daughters, and grandchildren without saying “Dream of Angels”.  We now have the most incredible angel to dream of.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in honor of Dot to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Memorial Park South Funeral Home, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542 is in charge of arrangements. Send on-line condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.