Hildegard J. Duys, 86, a gentle, loving mother, died Saturday morning, August 18 in her home surrounded by her children.

She was born in Fussen, Germany, on August 10, 1921. She was the widow of Col. Dirk Duys. Dirk and Hilda married in Germany in 1947 and moved to the United States in 1948. They shared 53 years of marriage and Hilda was the mother of six children.

Hilda and the family relocated frequently while following her husband's career in the Air Force. She had been a resident of Lexington for 30 years, and she kept in contact with many life-long friends.

She was deeply loved by her family and friends. She was a devoted parishioner of St. Brigid Church and gained her strength in life through her faith. She enjoyed raising her family, knitting, playing bridge, friends, cooking, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include her daughters Edeltraud Bradley and her husband Stephan of Lexington, Terre Young and her husband Scotty of West Tisbury and Theodora Coloanino and her husband Joseph of Plympton; her sons, Timothy Duys and wife Kathy of Vineyard Haven, Anthony Duys and wife Charlene of Merrimack and Tobias Duys and wife Louise of Derry, N.H. She was the loving grandmother to 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The family is forever grateful for the loving care provided by the staff of Metropolitan Home Health Services.

Funeral services will be held at St. Brigid Parish in Lexington at 10 a.m. Friday. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception immediately following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care Inc., 100 Sylvan Road, Woburn, MA 01801 or to the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, 14 Pond Lane, Randolph MA 02368.