HOULTON – V. Kathleen Gooding, 79, peacefully joined her Lord June 15, 2013, at Gardiner Health Care Facility, her home for the last 17 months. She was born Oct. 19, 1933, in Wallasey, Cheshire, England, daughter of Reginald Walter James Coombes and Violet Iris (Jenkins) Coombes.
Kathleen attended City of Bath Girls’ School and completed intensive teacher training at Balls Park Training College, Hertford, England. While teaching school in England, she met her husband Garth, who was stationed at a nearby U.S. Army base. After her marriage, Kathleen taught fifth grade and worked in the library at Lambert School, Houlton. She enthusiastically set up and ran libraries at the new Houlton Elementary and Houlton Southside Schools from 1970 to 2001. She enjoyed the challenge of finding resources for teachers and students. As a lifelong learner committed to excellence in elementary education, she became valedictorian of her University of Maine, Presque Isle, class in 1980; she also received a degree in library science in 1981. Kathleen was a dedicated member of Military Street Baptist Church, where for many years she taught Sunday school, directed Vacation Bible School, presented the Children’s Minute, led Pioneer Girls, created bulletin boards, sang in the choir, and filmed events. Her family spent many happy summers on Lake Bunganut at Pioneer Girls’ New England Camp Cherith. She was a member of the National Education Association, the Maine Education Association, and the Maine Educational Media Association and Delta Kappa Gamma. She was presented with an Honorary Lifetime Membership in the Maine Association of School Libraries in 2008. Courageous, innovative and brilliantly witty, even after her stroke in March 2004, Kathleen delighted in research, teaching, reading, gardening, birdwatching, all creative arts, her family, church family, friends and community. She remained fiercely proud of maintaining her British citizenship and loved all things English.
Kathleen is survived by her loving daughter and caregiver, Alison A. Gooding of Houlton; brother, David R. Coombes and wife, Christine; dear sister, Alison M. Martin and husband, Stephen; niece, Gillian Coombes and husband, Ian Kirkhope; nephew, Andrew Coombes; niece, Rachael Williams and partner, Mark Bolitho; nephew, Toby Martin and fiancée, Laura Moran; great-nieces, Eleanor, Anya, Sophia and baby Isabella; and cousin, Donald Coombes and Joan, all of England. She is also survived by her nephew, Joseph Hirsch and wife, Kim; niece, Carlene Hirsch; niece, Susan Goulet and husband, Shawn; great-nieces and great-nephews, Hannah, Matthew, Nathan, Brenden, and Kate; mother-in-law, Gladys (Bean) Gooding, all of Maine. Kathleen was predeceased by her parents; and her husband, Garth M. Gooding. Sincere thanks go to the staff of GHCF and to Dr. Ted Sussman for his care of the family.
Friends may call 10 a.m. until the time of the service 11 a.m. Thursday, June 27, at the new Military Street Baptist Church, 307 Military St., Houlton, with the Rev. Randall Burns officiating. Interment will be afterward at Evergreen Cemetery, Houlton. Gifts in Kathleen’s memory may be made to Military Street Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 517, Houlton, ME 04730 or to Cary Library, 107 Main St, Houlton, ME 04730. Online condolences may be expressed at www.directcremationofmaine.com
V. Kathleen Gooding
