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April 16, 1969 – September 21, 2018
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Obituary for Dawn Marie Nee
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On Friday, September 21, 2018, Dawn Marie Nee of Bordentown, NJ, passed away. Dawn was born April 16, 1969 in Upper Darby, PA. She was a Philly girl through and through – a lifetime fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, reigning Superbowl champions, and the Flyers, possibly 2019 Stanley Cup winners!
Dawn was the funny, kind, strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughter of bursting with pride parents, Dorothy Ford (nee Schoettle), and William F. Nee Jr. and Kay Nee. Dawn enjoyed more luck than most of us, having cousins as her earliest childhood friends. Those strong ties to family lasted throughout her lifetime.
Dawn was recruited by Johns Hopkins University for her incredible intelligence and her athleticism. While at the pinnacle of collegiate lacrosse, she earned First Team All-American honors in 1991. She was a leader on and off the field. Because stars align for the best among us, Dawn is on the ballot to be elected into the Johns Hopkins’ Athletic Hall of Fame for her amazing contributions to their women’s lacrosse program. She remains a Blue Jay still!
After Hopkins, Dawn pursued her law degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She earned her law degree with little effort, and even less effort to attending classes, a fact that both Dawn and her dad were keen to acknowledge.
From Colorado, Dawn moved back to Baltimore. While in private practice, Dawn argued and won a case before the Maryland Supreme Court, ensuring that biological paternity must be considered in child support cases. Dawn found her professional footing and passion working for the Office of the Public Defender in the City of Baltimore, fiercely defending the constitutional rights of those accused. Dawn’s love of sports continued in Baltimore where she joined the Chesapeake Women’s Rugby Football Club, found another tribe to love her, and met her future wife.
Dawn left Maryland for love in 2002 and carried her passion for protecting constitutional rights to New Jersey. In Union, Ocean, and Mercer counties, Dawn served the Office of the Public Defender with integrity, tenacity, and just as importantly, humor. She was highly regarded and respected as a skilled and eloquent trial attorney. In writing briefs and in closing arguments, she at times would include limericks to satisfy her creative, clever, and mischievous streak.
Dawn is survived by her wife, Michelle Larkin of Bordentown, NJ. Theirs was a union forged in friendship, love of adventures, and resilience to adversity. The love and commitment they shared sustained them through the most difficult parts of Dawn’s 14 year battle with breast cancer. She is also survived by her 12 year old daughter, Lauren Nee Larkin, who exhibits the best of both of her parents – humor, resilience, kindness, strength, heart, loyalty, stubbornness, intelligence, beauty, and strong belief that girls can do anything. Dawn is also survived by her parents Dorothy Ford and William F. Nee Jr., and loving family and friends.
Dawn’s ashes will be scattered in the places she loved most. Dawn was laid to rest in clothes picked out by Michelle and Lauren who, with thought and loving care, honored her style, her loves, and her whimsy: Spongebob Squarepants socks, black velvet Doc Marten boots, jeans, her autographed Flyers jersey, and a soft purple hat that a woman knitted for Dawn shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Young Survival Coalition’s Tour de Pink to honor Dawn’s commitment to providing resources and support to young women with breast cancer: https://west.ysctourdepink.org/Member/MyPage/1778449/Dawn-Nee
Dawn was the funny, kind, strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughter of bursting with pride parents, Dorothy Ford (nee Schoettle), and William F. Nee Jr. and Kay Nee. Dawn enjoyed more luck than most of us, having cousins as her earliest childhood friends. Those strong ties to family lasted throughout her lifetime.
Dawn was recruited by Johns Hopkins University for her incredible intelligence and her athleticism. While at the pinnacle of collegiate lacrosse, she earned First Team All-American honors in 1991. She was a leader on and off the field. Because stars align for the best among us, Dawn is on the ballot to be elected into the Johns Hopkins’ Athletic Hall of Fame for her amazing contributions to their women’s lacrosse program. She remains a Blue Jay still!
After Hopkins, Dawn pursued her law degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She earned her law degree with little effort, and even less effort to attending classes, a fact that both Dawn and her dad were keen to acknowledge.
From Colorado, Dawn moved back to Baltimore. While in private practice, Dawn argued and won a case before the Maryland Supreme Court, ensuring that biological paternity must be considered in child support cases. Dawn found her professional footing and passion working for the Office of the Public Defender in the City of Baltimore, fiercely defending the constitutional rights of those accused. Dawn’s love of sports continued in Baltimore where she joined the Chesapeake Women’s Rugby Football Club, found another tribe to love her, and met her future wife.
Dawn left Maryland for love in 2002 and carried her passion for protecting constitutional rights to New Jersey. In Union, Ocean, and Mercer counties, Dawn served the Office of the Public Defender with integrity, tenacity, and just as importantly, humor. She was highly regarded and respected as a skilled and eloquent trial attorney. In writing briefs and in closing arguments, she at times would include limericks to satisfy her creative, clever, and mischievous streak.
Dawn is survived by her wife, Michelle Larkin of Bordentown, NJ. Theirs was a union forged in friendship, love of adventures, and resilience to adversity. The love and commitment they shared sustained them through the most difficult parts of Dawn’s 14 year battle with breast cancer. She is also survived by her 12 year old daughter, Lauren Nee Larkin, who exhibits the best of both of her parents – humor, resilience, kindness, strength, heart, loyalty, stubbornness, intelligence, beauty, and strong belief that girls can do anything. Dawn is also survived by her parents Dorothy Ford and William F. Nee Jr., and loving family and friends.
Dawn’s ashes will be scattered in the places she loved most. Dawn was laid to rest in clothes picked out by Michelle and Lauren who, with thought and loving care, honored her style, her loves, and her whimsy: Spongebob Squarepants socks, black velvet Doc Marten boots, jeans, her autographed Flyers jersey, and a soft purple hat that a woman knitted for Dawn shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Young Survival Coalition’s Tour de Pink to honor Dawn’s commitment to providing resources and support to young women with breast cancer: https://west.ysctourdepink.org/Member/MyPage/1778449/Dawn-Nee
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