Dara Frigoletto died peacefully on June 4 with her loving husband Peter, her family and devoted caregivers by her side, after a courageous two-year-long battle with cancer.

Dara approached this horrible illness as she did with everything: with strength, resolve and courage that were only surpassed by her love, grace and kindness. Her beautiful and radiant smile always brightened the days of all around her, as she continued to be a source of happiness even on her most challenging days.

She was raised in Leominster and was a graduate of Lawrence Academy in Groton, Simmons College and Tufts University.

She led a life centered around her family and many friends, service to people in need and the community at large, and the environment. She volunteered at Save the Harbor, Save the Bay, the region's leading voice for clean water and continued public investment in Boston Harbor, and served a term as its policy director. At the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, she worked to protect southwest Florida’s unique natural environment.

The main focus of Dara’s philanthropic efforts was her many years of service with the Jimmy Fund, where she was a volunteer and served as a vice president of the Jimmy Fund Council of Greater Boston, the coordinator of the volunteer recruitment program and the patient reading program at the Jimmy Fund Clinic at Children’s Hospital, and a registration supervisor at the annual Pan Mass Challenge.

Her dedication, hard work, boundless energy and organizational skills helped raise millions of dollars for the Jimmy Fund. She had an even greater impact on the lives of the children being treated at the Jimmy Fund Clinic and their parents. She was an immense source of love, joy and comfort to children and their parents each week. She fostered an environment that helped the children forget about their cancer for a short time and just enjoy being kids, and she allowed their parents a respite to have some time for themselves.

During her years with the Jimmy Fund, she received many awards including the Woman of the Year award given by the Jimmy Fund Council. She was a multi-year winner of the Bob Cheyne Lifetime Commitment Award, given in recognition of her exemplary work for the Jimmy Fund Council and dedication to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

She was a devoted wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. In how she conducted her life, she taught many lessons; among the most important was how kind she was. She always looked to help a person or animal in need.

Dara was a resident of Natick, Edgartown and Naples, Fla. She and Peter and their family enjoyed summers spent on Martha's Vineyard, as that was one of her special happy places where she could be close to the ocean. They were in the process of building their dream home on South Water street in Edgartown — with the help of a group of supremely-talented and devoted friends — and this project was close to her heart.

Dara is survived by her husband, Peter DeFeo; her parents, Dr. Robert Frigoletto and Joanne Fraticelli Frigoletto; her brother, Jay Frigoletto and his wife, Kerri-Ann Richard; her niece, Zoe Frigoletto; her nephew, Devon Pope; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Her funeral was held earlier this month. Her family is planning a celebration of life for later this summer.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, Sixth Floor, Brookline, MA 02445.