Dorothea R. Looney of Edgartown died March 28 at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. She was 86.

She was born in Lawrence on August 5, 1920 and was one of three children of Michael Francis Looney and Mary FitzGerald Looney. Dorothea was educated in Lawrence schools and was graduated from Marymount College. She moved to Cambridge to work for the Polaroid Corporation as a statistician. She later earned a law degree from Suffolk Law School, though she never practiced as a lawyer.

In 1969, Dorothea bought a home on the Vineyard and spent her summers in Edgartown ever since. When she retired in 1982, she moved to the Vineyard full time.

She was a longtime volunteer with the historical society, spending more than 20 years there. She also assisted with Meals on Wheels and had retired from there this past year. Dorothea was a member of the Martha's Vineyard Woman's Club and the Friends of Edgartown Council on Aging. She also was a parishioner of St. Elizabeth's Church.

Survivors include her sister, Michaelina Judge of Clinton, Conn.; three nieces, Ann Walke of Anderson, S.C., Frances Artigas of Dallas, Ga. and Mary Judge of Clinton, Conn.; and several great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Her sister, Rita O'Reilly, predeceased her.

Her funeral mass was held in St. Elizabeth's Church, Edgartown on Monday. Interment followed in the New Westside Cemetery, Edgartown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Catholic Relief Services, 209 West Fayette street, Baltimore MD 21201.