SCARBOROUGH — Donna Jean (Myers) Goulding, age 86 of Scarborough, Maine, wife of 65 years to Thomas S. Goulding, passed away on Dec. 19, 2018 after a lengthy illness.

Donna was born in Spokane, Washington on Aug. 30, 1932 the daughter of the late Erma and Clyde Myers from Spokane, Washington.

She is survived by her husband and their four children; Kathleen E. and her husband Mel Thebault of Errol, New Hampshire, Michael D. and his wife Mary Ann Goulding of Marietta, Georgia, Thomas S. and his wife Julie Goulding of Ellijay, Georgia and James E. and his wife Lori Goulding of Waterboro, Maine.  She had eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; brothers James Myers of Daytona, Florida, Steven Myers of Dayton, Washington and the late Judith Miller of Everett, Washington.  She has several nieces and nephews.

Donna was a very creative woman and was a talented writer and painter.  She attended the Writer’s Conference in Ocean Park, Maine for many years.  She loved to sew and particularly loved to quilt. She belonged to the Amoskeag Quilt Guild in Manchester, New Hampshire with her daughter and the Pine Tree Guild in Maine.

She loved to read and recently joined a Book Club in her community that she enjoyed attending. She was very involved in the community and took on many leadership roles, in particular the chairperson for the Saco, Maine Conservation Committee, where she led many activities that contributed to the preservation of environmental wellness for the City of Saco. She received an award from the community for her leadership in addressing the purple loosestrife, an invasive plant.  She sang in the Saco Congregational Church choir for many years.

Donna also held many career positions throughout her life, but none as satisfying as raising her four children.

She graduated from John Rogers High School, Spokane, Washington in 1950 and attended Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Massachusetts receiving her Teaching Certificate. She was an early education teacher in the town of West Boylston, Massachusetts.  She attended classes to learn Braille and received a Braille certificate.

Donna believed in giving to others and through this, she and her husband became missionaries and traveled to Honduras, helping to rebuild a small community. Prior to leaving on the trip, she helped to gather supplies that were distributed to the locals when they arrived in Honduras.

After surviving pancreatic cancer in 2006, Donna became an advocate and mentor for others that were going through the same cancer. She also survived stomach cancer in 2016.

Donna was raised on the west coast and loved it. However, in 1956 she and Thomas moved from Spokane, Washington to Holden, Massachusetts, and New England became her home. Through a career transfer, Thomas and Donna moved to Michigan, however, she still loved New England and was glad to transfer back at retirement.

Donna’s faith was very important to her.  She was a member of the Blue Point Congregational Church in Scarborough, Maine and a former member of the Saco Congregational Church.

Donna will be missed by many but leaves behind a legacy that will not be forgotten.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 12, 2018 at 11am at First Parish Congregational Church, 12 Beach St., Saco.

Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, Saco is respectfully handling the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorable donations can be made to the Blue Point Congregational Church, PO Box 2055, Scarborough, Maine 04070-2055, The Salvation Army, 2 Church Street, Old Orchard Beach, Maine 04064-2060 or the First Parish Church, 12 Beach Street, Saco, Maine 04072 in Donna’s name.

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