Dolores Hinden; cofounded insurance group in Quincy

"She worked hard her entire life," said her daughter Kim of Framingham, former registrar of motor vehicles for the state. "But work was something she did; her family was something she lived for."

The Mashpee resident died Monday at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton after a brief battle with cancer. She was 64.

Mrs. Hinden was known by family and friends for her cooking and entertaining.

"She was the fourth daughter in a family of five siblings, and she hosted every holiday - Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter - for decades," Kim said. "She would be the most gracious hostess. She had such a generous spirit. She opened her house to everybody."

Kim said her mother will most be remembered for her homemade ravioli; she would make about 500 for each holiday.

"She was happiest when her family was around her," said her daughter Michele M. Gillen of Needham. "She was generous, selfless, lived her whole life for her kids and her grandkids."

Born in Needham, Mrs. Hinden graduated from Newton South High School in 1962. She received an associate's degree in business in 1964 from Burdette College in Boston.

That same year, she married Peter R. Hinden, whom she met while the two worked in downtown Needham.

After her two daughters were of school age, Mrs. Hinden worked at Pillar House in Newton as a waitress and a hostess.

In 1985, she joined the former MacIntyre Fay & Thayer Insurance Agency in its Newton office. She left in 1998 with a few colleagues to establish Boston Insurance Group Inc. in Quincy, where she served as vice president until she retired in 2006.

Mrs. Hinden was an avid golfer who belonged to the Needham and Olde Barnstable golf clubs. She served for many years as chairwoman of women's golf at Needham Golf Club.

"She encouraged involvement in club events no matter what people's skill levels," said her husband.

He added that she "was always giving of herself," as exemplified by her decision to ask a young beginning golfer to be her partner in several tournaments.

While at Needham Golf Club, Mrs. Hinden organized two fund-raising tournaments for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation on behalf of her sister, who is a breast cancer survivor.

Family members said she was recognized by the foundation as one of its top fund-raisers.

"She raised records amount of money, and she did it with style, as Dolly would," said friend Barbara Doyle, who played golf with Mrs. Hinden at Needham. "She was a lovely, gracious, kind, and enthusiastic woman . . . who just sparkled."

Mrs. Hinden also enjoyed spending time at the beach.

About 25 years ago, the family purchased a cottage in the Popponesset section of Mashpee that was right across from the beach. Five years ago, it was torn down and rebuilt as "her dream house," Kim said.

"It had a cook's kitchen and beautiful ocean views," she said. "People have been saying what a classy woman she was, saying she had great sense of style and grace. Her home reflected that, too."

In addition to her husband and daughters, Mrs. Hinden leaves her father, James B. Gamble, of Mashpee; three sisters, Jacqueline Egan of Marshfield, Mary Lempitski of Mashpee, and Joyce Quinn of Foxborough; a brother, James M. Gamble of Needham; and two grandchildren.

A Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today in St. Joseph Church in Needham. Interment services will be private.