LYMAN — Dorothy I. Spulick, 78, of Lyman, died on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, with her husband by her side, following a lengthy struggle with cancer and diabetes.

Dorothy, known to her family and friends as “Dot,” was born in Biddeford on March 29, 1936, to W. Francis and Irene (Harris) Gay.

She grew up in North Saco and attended local schools, graduating from Thornton Academy in 1955.

In September of 1955, she married George Spulick, and together they raised three children and shared 58 years of marriage.

Dot was a member of the Alfred Congregational Church for 39 years and worked at Vishay-Sprague in Sanford for 31 years, retiring in 2000. After her retirement she worked part-time at Bonanza in Sanford, where she made many new friends and interacted with many friendly customers.

Dot was known for sending many letters and cards to relatives and friends for their birthdays, holidays and special occasions. She enjoyed spending her free time working in her many flower gardens and making puzzles with extended family members. She took up knitting after retiring and made many baby ponchos and blankets as well as making her first handmade quilt at the age of 70.

Dot’s children and grandchildren will remember her most for the many yearly weekend trips to Wells Beach, which they have been doing since May of 1984. Some of her other enjoyments were making desserts for her extended family and having regular picnics and coffee with her friends and past coworkers. Dot said that her greatest achievement in life was doing kind gestures, which made other individuals in her life happy.

Dot was preceded in death by: her sisters, Helen Gay and Carolyn (Gay) Smith, both formerly of Saco; her nephew, Brian Smith formerly of Sanford; as well as both of her parents.

Surviving are: her husband, George E. Spulick of Lyman; three children, David Spulick and his wife Anita of Lebanon, Douglas Spulick and his wife Jody and Debra (Spulick) Pelletier, all of Sanford; her brother, Robert Gay of Saco; 11 grandchildren, William, Kelly and Sarah (Kearney) Pelletier, Jeremy and Johnathan Spulick, Corey, Katie, Haylie and Brittany (Jackson) Spulick, Alexandra Dube and Deanna Penttila; 18 great-grandchildren, Samantha, Danielle, Elizabeth, Zachary, Gabrielle, Michaela, McKenna, Kash, Spencer, Allison, Nathan, Nicholas, Micah, Alexz, Jazmine, Autumn, Mason and Laura; four nieces and nephews, Roger, Janice, John and Deborah; as well as many nieces and nephews on her spouse’s side.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10 at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, located at 580 Main St. in Springvale. Visitation will also be held at the funeral home from 9:30-11 a.m. with a funeral service following at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 11. Interment will be held at a later date at Oakdale Cemetery in Sanford. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Goodwins Mills Fire and Rescue, 481 Goodwins Mills Road, Lyman, ME 04002; or Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 U.S. Route 1, Suite 1, Scarborough, ME 04074. Arrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale. To leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.blackfuneralhomes.com.

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