Anna M. Dodd, age 94, formerly of Claymont, Delaware, passed away peacefully on Thursday October 16, 2025. She was born in Granard, County Longford, Ireland was the daughter of the late Rose (Coyle) and Thomas Nannery.
Anna took her first great adventure at 27, when she boarded a plane with her beloved sister and best friend, Mary Nannery. The two set off for America, drawn by promises that the streets were “lined with gold.” Their journey began in Philadelphia, but it didn’t take long for Anna and Mary to find their way to Wildwood, New Jersey, where they spent summers waitressing by the sea and soaking in the boardwalk magic.
One warm evening in Atlantic City, during the city’s golden age, Anna entered a beauty contest at Morey’s Pier—and won. With her jet-black hair, porcelain Irish complexion, and striking green eyes, she was often compared to Elizabeth Taylor.
Back in Philadelphia that fall, Anna attended a dance at the Irish Dance Hall in the Northeast, where a handsome WWII veteran named Leo Dodd—more reserved on the dance floor than she—was captivated by her grace, wit, and Irish charm. She found him equally enchanting: a kind, Irish American, college-educated accountant with old-fashioned manners. Eleven months later, they were married.
The young couple settled in Claymont, Delaware, becoming one of the founding families of Holy Rosary Church. Soon, their home was filled with the energy (and chaos) of four children—exactly what Anna had always dreamed of.
A talented cosmetologist, Anna worked part-time while devoting herself to raising her family. She was a gifted cook and baker, always eager to try a new recipe, and she never left the house without looking perfectly “put together.”
She loved staying close to her Irish roots—whether it was tuning in to the news from home (Ireland), reading the papers, humming along to Irish music, or watching Rory McIlroy play a great round of golf.
A woman of deep faith, she was a devoted member of Holy Rosary Church, attending regularly until she was no longer able. In her later years, Anna’s greatest joy came from visiting her children and watching her four grandsons grow up. She was their proudest admirer and the elegant matriarch of a family she deeply loved.
Anna was married to Leo Dodd for 61 years before he passed in 2018. Her sister would pass the following year. Anna is survived by her 4 children, Leo Francis Dodd, Thomas Patrick Dodd, Sr., Rosemarie Dodd Giroso and Ronald Dodd and his wife Sarah Klee; 4 grandchildren, Thomas P. Dodd, Jr., Blaise Justin Giroso, Aidan Lee Giroso, and Emmett Michael Dodd.
Services and burial will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Holy Rosary Church, 3200 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, DE 19703.
For online condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com
