Dorothy Dawn Matthews
April 2, 1949 – April 21, 2026
Dorothy Dawn Matthews of Pembroke Pines, Florida, passed away on April 21, 2026, at Memorial Regional South Hospital. She was a longtime resident of the Hollybrook Golf and Tennis Club condominium and a longtime employee of Home Depot.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Dorothy immigrated to the United States in the 1980s. She was the youngest of five daughters born to William S. Cadien and Myrtle V. Cadien.
Dawn, as she is affectionately known, is survived by her four children: Carolyn Matthews, Paul Matthews, Christopher Matthews and Mindi Petro; Three Grandchildren: Joshua Matthews, Charley Petro and Lula Petro; Three sisters and one brother: Sonia Lopez, Minette Eldemire, Margaret Justesen and Charles Smith; two aunts and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, May 9th from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM with a Tributes of a Lifetime and Religious Service starting at 3:00 PM at Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care, located at 1600 N. University Drive, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024.
For those unable to attend, we are offering LIVESTREAMING of the service at 3:00 PM on Saturday, May 9th, 2026. The link to attend virtually is on the Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care Facebook page at: BOYD-PANCIERA FAMILY FUNERAL CARE LIVESTREAM.
Boyd-Panciera University Drive Chapel
Boyd-Panciera University Drive Chapel
© 2026 Boyd Panciera. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Jeneve Brooks
May 2, 2026, 6:29 pm
Jlcoped@gmail.com
Jeneve Brooks
May 2, 2026, 6:37 pm
My heart is so sad. Dawn was very special to me and the rest of the family.. she was so vibrant and full of life. Rest in peace Dawn until we meet again. Love you. ❤️
Andrea D Hall
May 2, 2026, 7:19 pm
My dearest Dawn i have known for over 40 years we are family. I will always treasure our moments of laughter and love. I appreciate your zest for life and how you loved and cared for others. Rest in peace beautiful soul dance with the angels
Jacqueline Elaine Vickers
May 2, 2026, 7:28 pm
So sorry for the loss of Dawn. May her soul rest in peace. Vickers Family
Margaret Justesen
May 2, 2026, 7:37 pm
Sis, May you find a beautiful garden to toil in with butterflies and the sound of birds playing their music for you. Hanging out with mom and Anne and all the family who preceded you there. You are missed by us all. Love you sis, Margaret
Rema Freeman
May 2, 2026, 8:39 pm
Dawn was a very considerate and loving person.She loved people and did what she could to make each feel at home in her home.
She loved to pot a plant for you and made sure you were not hungry.
We hope to see her when God’s promise of a resurrection is a reality
Rema
KEVIN BURKE-GREEN
May 2, 2026, 11:09 pm
Auntie Dawn, I met through my best female friend Paula Haase her niece. Two Lionhearts. Auntie Dawn was the sweetest lady, what I call a Bumshot and a hugger. Her passing hit as I was just hugging her while paying respect at Grandmas’ passing. I am reminded that our Lord call his children on his time. I was blessed to know her on her and my time. Walk good Auntie Dawn, both loved and missed. 🙏🙏🙏🙏💐💐❣️❣️🌹🌹
Carolyn Matthews
May 3, 2026, 1:05 am
Oh mommy….
Judi
May 3, 2026, 3:22 am
Aunty Dawn, I am having a rough time having to say goodbye. You have been a Mom, Aunt and Friend to me. I can’t recall a stage in my life when you were not there. You always encouraged and believed in me. We laughed together, cried together and even disagreed at times but no matter what the circumstances you were always there for me. Thank you for loving me as your own. My heart is shattered but you taught me to keep going no matter how bad it seemed better days were ahead. I hope your new home is filled with flowers, music and love. I love you Aunty Dawn. Always have, Always will.
Natasha cousins
May 3, 2026, 4:32 pm
I will miss her sooo much
Norma Ford
May 3, 2026, 4:47 pm
R.I.E.P
Marcia Haisley-Chevannes
May 3, 2026, 6:26 pm
My dearest Dawn. I have lost a good friend. My heart is shattered because you were such a vibrant, kind and loving soul.
Rest well in Paradise my friend, until we meet again.
Marcia
Carole Silvera
May 3, 2026, 6:33 pm
Dearest Dawn, from the first I met you I loved you. You were my dear friend Patsy’s younger sister and I can’t remember a time when you were not around. You have been a constant light to everyone with your vibrant personality and I can’t remember a time that your beautiful smile didn’t light up the room. You were fun and funny and full of wisdom. Your love for your family was outstanding especially for your children. You were taken away from us too soon but I know God had a purpose for you. I hope you find love and peace in the arms of the Lord. I will always remember you with love. Continue to sleep in eternal peace until we meet again!
Lynda
May 3, 2026, 7:03 pm
Dawn
I know that you are in the most beautiful garden there is! I am sure you have already begun taking care of the orchids and other flowers🌸 you found there.
Say hi to Anne and Auntie for me💕Rest peacefully my friend 🕊️
Love ❤️
Kelli Matthews
May 3, 2026, 7:13 pm
Aunt Dawn brought a light into the world that was entirely her own. Her laugh—soft, warm, and unmistakably genuine—had a way of easing even the heaviest moments. Her gentle voice carried comfort, wisdom, and a kindness that made you feel seen and supported. She encouraged others not with grand gestures, but with steady, heartfelt words that reminded you to keep going, to stay hopeful, and to believe in yourself.
Her positive attitude wasn’t something she put on; it was something she lived. Even in difficult times, she moved with grace, offering compassion, patience, and a quiet strength that inspired everyone around her. She made life feel a little softer, a little brighter, simply by being in it.
Aunt Dawn, you will be deeply missed. Your presence, your spirit, and the love you shared will stay with us always.
Love: Kelli & Jonah
Faith petrasek
May 3, 2026, 11:28 pm
My Dearest cousin Dawn,
I am only able to cope with your passing , because eachtime I think of you , I smile , and a host of precious memories come flooding back. As long as the sun shines, flowers bloom , and the earth, when it rains, releases it’s scent, You will forever be immortalized in your free and beautiful spirit. RIP
Julia Johnson
May 4, 2026, 12:59 am
“To my dear Aunt Dawn—I feel incredibly blessed that I had the chance to talk with you and capture one last photo together before you passed. That final memory is a gift I will carry forever. I find myself looking back on the days when my mom would take me to visit you and Aunt Rita; those early memories are some of my fondest.
While I’ve attended many funerals, death is still something I struggle to understand. I often find myself asking why we have to say goodbye, but I take comfort in the promise of eternal life. God bless you, Aunt Dawn. You are deeply loved and will be missed by us all. Rest in peace
Nadine
May 4, 2026, 2:32 pm
My condolences to the family Rip Dawn 🙏🏽💐
Sharon Glegg
May 4, 2026, 7:28 pm
Always that smile, always that kindness. We talked about having land and cultivating veggies and flowers together… Soon, in the resurrection. John 5:25, 28, 29.
Tamika Danford
May 4, 2026, 8:36 pm
Dear Aunty Dawn,
May your beautiful soul rest in peace. Remembering your laughter, kindness and love for family and plants will forever be etched in my memories of you. Praying for the entire family.
Love Tamika Danford, Michaela & Jaden Causwell xoxo
Josette and Kemani Matthews
May 5, 2026, 12:27 am
It is with great sadness to hear about the passing of Aunt Dawn. We are holding the entire family in our thoughts. We hope that the good memories will bring comfort throughout this time of grief and mourning. Rest in peace.
Andrew
May 5, 2026, 1:15 pm
Rest in peace Dorothy you are a great person
Elaine Bloomfield
May 5, 2026, 2:58 pm
My condolences to the family. As many have shared, Dawn, as I remember her was a soft, sweet, peaceful soul. I know God is happy to have her back in His arms. Blessings
Regina Darmos
May 5, 2026, 9:45 pm
A compassionate and always caring beautiful lady will be missed. Your kindness was felt by many. Condolences to the family and everyone who knew her.
Doug
May 5, 2026, 10:56 pm
I loved being around my Auntie Dawn, her energy and smile were contagious. I will miss the happiness she brought and the way she made others feel. Her gardening is done, rest well.
Mavia Danford
May 6, 2026, 5:38 pm
We were saddened to learn of the
passing of Our dearest Dawn sHe was loved by all of us and will be terribly missed.
When the Lord calls our loved ones home,he leaves a legacy of many memories for us to cherished forever in exchange so you all can hold on to those precious memories and let them guide you during this difficult time.
Our deepest sympathies to the entire family forever in our hearts much Love and blessings 💕
Mavia and Lenny Danford
E Phyllis Magruder Smith
May 6, 2026, 9:16 pm
I remember Dawn as young, bright and cheerful woman. She would light up a room whenever she entered. Sam and I were visiting from New York. Dawn started telling us a story about her grandfather during the time, he was the only person in that area of Jamaica who owned a gun . So , the authorities had to go to his home and ask her grandfather to unlock the gun from the cabinet to take the gun to make an arrest.,
Dawn was always a delight to be
around.
I will truly miss her.
Lord please her soul and bring her family and loved ones lasting
Peace.
Phyllis Smith
Suzanne Carter
May 7, 2026, 9:01 am
Aunty Dawn,
When I think of you it brings a smile to my face. Your beauty inside and out, your vibrant personality, but most of all the love for your family and friends. You will be missed dearly……..
Gillian Rowlands
May 7, 2026, 10:53 pm
Cousin Gillian Rowlands You will be forever in our hearts sweet cousin, with that playful twinkle in your eyes and beautiful smile. I wrote a poem to you, which best expresses in the language of the soul, all that I hold dear about you and will miss. I will send it to your loving children and sisters, but in this small tribute, which cannnot contain all I would like to say, I pray you may find, peace, bliss and rest and remain forever young at heart and blessed, in God’s eternal kingdom. I will keep you close in my happy, loving memories of you, cousin, Dawn as will my sisters Carol and Faith and my brother Louis.
Ruth D. Pratt
May 8, 2026, 10:22 am
A Tribute to Aunty Dawn
Dawn or as we lovingly called her, Aunty Dawn truly loved life. Whether it was people or plants, her love was abundant, generous, and sincere. I’ll never forget how we met and how she immediately embraced me and my family as her own. We shared meals, laughter, and a deep, mutual love that grew naturally and beautifully.
She aged with grace, carrying herself with a quiet strength and a gentle spirit. I hold onto the hope of the day when she will return, restored to the beauty and health we longed for her to have. Until then, her memory remains a blessing.
Aunty Dawn was one of the most caring people I’ve ever known. The way she cared for her mother and her family was nothing short of phenomenal — a true example of devotion and love in action.
As she sleeps now, we will continue to miss her deeply, but we hold onto the hope of seeing her again. Her love, her kindness, and her presence will forever live in our hearts.
Ruth, Keon, Ryan and Marsha!💗💗🤧
Jeane Russell
May 8, 2026, 11:17 am
May your beautiful soul rest in peace. Thank you for your kind accommodations having met you for a short period you are a blessing to all, glad I had a chance to meet you . Rest in peace Aunty Dawn.
Chris Matthews
May 8, 2026, 4:53 pm
Dear Aunty Dawn …. I will miss your wonderful smile and kind heart! I can remember the last time I saw you at the patty store in Pembroke Pines and we spent a few minutes catching up. I never thought you would leave us so soon. May you rest in peace.
Love,
Chris
Ann Marie Lawrence
May 9, 2026, 12:13 am
My dear Dawn I’m gonna miss you.
I will always remember you everytime I hear the song Get Flat or hear one of your family members call out ‘Get Flat’ or ‘Flat.’.
Forever in my heart. Until then……..
Get Flat
Lerone B. Wallace
May 9, 2026, 2:59 am
You never grew up. Never met anyone like you. Love ❤️ YOU
Doreen Blackburn
May 9, 2026, 12:14 pm
My condolences to the family.
I pray the Lord fills you with His peace and comfort.
“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
R.I.P.
Dawn Williams
May 9, 2026, 2:11 pm
Words cannot ease the pain of losing a loved one but please know you are not alone. I pray you will find the strength and courage in the lessons they taught you and the love they gave you during this sad and difficult time. My sincere condolences to the family.
Dawn Willians🇨🇦
May her Soul R.I.P.
Maureen
May 9, 2026, 2:44 pm
We thank our Lord for Dawn’s life. Her love, care and concern for her Mom, Aunt Rita; her family and others.
Her occasional calls.
Her hard work and good naturedness.
Her gentle spirit.
We cherish her memory.
May her soul rest in peace.🙏🏽
MARVA WILLIAMS
May 9, 2026, 4:11 pm
Derrick &Marva Williams and Family. Let us use this medium in expressing our sincere condolences to the family.Let us not weep like persons with out hope.May her soul rest in Paradise .
Donna E. Harpaul
May 9, 2026, 6:44 pm
Aunty Dawn , beautiful as the flowers in the garden and a spirit like a garden nymph.. quirky, light , airy..
Rest with the angels.. I know Heaven will have the most beautiful garden . Love you 🩷💐
Donna Harpaul
David McDowell
May 9, 2026, 7:12 pm
You always were a beautiful person with a beautiful soul may you rest in eternal peace Dawn.. you will be missed.
Andrew Haase
May 9, 2026, 7:34 pm
GOD has blessed Dawn in a very special way in the mighty name of Jesus Christ 💘🙏 rest in perfect peace darling until we meet again in the kingdom of the living GOD🌹🙏in eternal life, love you always and forever 🌹🙏Hallelujah 🙏🌹🙏.
Andrea West
May 9, 2026, 8:23 pm
My condolences to the family.
Aunty Dawn a beautiful soul may you rest in eternal peace 🕊️🙏
Andrea West
Rosemary Bell
May 9, 2026, 9:06 pm
Dawn was a very gentle and loving person, she would be the first person to help you, she let u see the light, I knew dawn from in the 90’s and I miss her dearly May her soul Rest In Peace, she is in paradise now. May deepest condolences to her family.Love, Rosemary ❤️🙏❤️🩹