While excavating in Athens in 1932, Homer met Dorothy Burr. At the time she was the only female fellow working on the excavations in Athens. Dorothy's concentration of study revolved around excavating and publishing her finds on the Athenian gardens and terracotta figurines. As Homer recalls it, Dorothy was "one of more remarkable finds." She also was a classics enthusiast and worked with him at the Institute for Advanced Study as well as in Athens. In 1934, the well-matched couple were married.