Martha (Martie) Marie (Hayes) Dumas, age 82 of Natick, Yarmouth Port and South Yarmouth, MA Passed away on July 20, at the Terraces in Orleans, MA.
Martie was an extraordinary woman. As a wife, mother, mentor and inspiration, she touched everyone she met. Throughout her life she took advantage of the opportunities that became available to women.
Born in Chelsea MA, she grew up in Auburndale, as the oldest of four children of William and Martha Hayes: Regina Kamyck, William Hayes, and Marian O’Sullivan.
She graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Waltham, where she met her future husband, Joseph (Joe) S. Dumas at a senior play they performed in. Two years later she graduated with an associate’s degree in medical Secretarial Science. She then ran an office at Boston University Hospital, now Boston Medical Center.
She married Joe before his senior year at Boston College. A year later their son Kenneth was born and the family moved to Buffalo, NY where Joe attended graduate school. Their son Tim was born there, and Joe received his PhD in Cognitive Psychology. Martie taught herself to become a seamstress and began to take university courses. When the family moved to Rochester Michigan, where Joe became a member of the Psychology Department at Oakland University, she started a dress-making business while continuing to take courses.
When the family moved to Natick, Martie attended Framingham State College and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Computer Science. She worked as a demographer at Boston Edison and as a software developer for a time-sharing company. She then joined the finance division at Zayre Corp., later TJX. She advanced to the position of financial manager of TJX’s Systems (Communications and Computer) Division supervising her own group.
During those years, she guided Ken and Tim through their school years and into college while encouraging Joe in his career.
Around the age of 50 she gave up her finance position to attend Simmons University, where she received her master’s degree in social work and, two years later, her Clinical Social Work license.
After receiving her Social Work license, she started her own psychotherapy practice in Natick where she helped clients with their relationships and work-life issues.
In 2004 Martie and Joe moved to Yarmouth Port in Cape Cod, where they continued their careers while enjoying the Cape lifestyle. In 2007 Martie was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a meningioma, which was treated with neurosurgery and radiation, ending her psychotherapy practice. In 2014 she and Joe published a book about the way the brain tumor changed their relationship, Relationship Rewired: A couple survives the effects of a brain tumor
For the next decade Martie took up painting and began writing stories, fiction and nonfiction, an anthology of which will be published soon.
Martie is survived by Joe, Ken, Danielle Tim, Joanna and Nina.
Visiting hours will be held on Thursday July 30, 2026, from 10:00 am to 12:00 am at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave. South Yarmouth, MA 02664. A celebration of life will be held around 11:30 am. Internment will take place at a later date.

I already miss you Martie. You were a wonderful person. Thank you for all you did for me. Love, Marian (little sister)