Dene Alexander Sarason died on May 24. She was 97.

Dene was born in New York city. She attended Antioch College and then graduated from Syracuse University in 1960.

She married Dr. Ernest L. Sarason on Dec., 24, 1942 in New York city. Dr. Sarason died in 2006 after 64 years of marriage.

Dene enjoyed spending time with her family on the Vineyard, where she first visited nearly 50 years ago. She would take long walks in the mornings Up-Island, never missed a Chilmark Road Race, and enjoyed having a vodka and tonic while watching the sunset after a long day at the beach.

She was a devoted wife and a loving and supportive mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was committed to education and community service. Dene was known for her candor, generosity, spirit and humor. Her witty one-liners will live on forever.

Dene is survived by her children: Ernest L. Sarason Jr. and his wife, Carol, of Concord and West Tisbury; Robert Sarason and his wife Jane Burkhead of Syracuse, N.Y.; and Alexandra Schwartz of New York, N.Y.; her grandchildren: Alexandra and Christian Parker Sarason, Abby and Jesse Johnston, Jennifer and Andrew Schwartz, Madeline Sarason, Zoe Sarason, Cathleen and Benjamin Clark, and Yasmine Iliya and James Clark; and great-grandchildren Nicholas and Benjamin Sarason, Teddy Johnston, and Jack, Phoebe, Oliver and Charles Clark.