Barbara was born on July 19, 1947, the first born child of Patricia and Linwood Wright. Barbara and her five siblings grew up moving around the country as “Air Force brats.” Her fondest childhood memories were her trips home to Stratton, Maine, where she would spend summer months with her beloved Grammie Dot.
Barbara graduated from Holyoke Catholic High School, Springfield, Massachusetts and continued her education at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Portland, Maine, where she graduated in 1968. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern Maine, earning her Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 1997.
After graduating nursing school in 1968, Barbara was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and was stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia. There she met and soon after married the love of her life and future husband of 48 years, Frank Gooding. After their wedding, Frank and Barbara were deployed to Vietnam. While deployed they took brief honeymoon trips to Hong Kong, Thailand and Tokyo.
After returning from Vietnam, they moved to Saco in 1977 where they made their home, raised three children, and lived a great life for 40 years. Barbara forged many strong friendships in the Saco community and had a long career as an RN. She worked for Home Health Services in Saco for 25 years before retiring as the Clinical Director of Nursing in 2009. She was wise, kind and highly respected as a nurse and supervisor.
Barbara loved reading, spending time with her friends antiquing/ yard-saleing, and traveling throughout the U.S. and the world with her husband and siblings. Her eyes and facial expressions showed humor and love as easily as her words and she never missed an opportunity to hug the people she loved and cared for.
She is survived by her husband, Frank; their three children: Teresa and husband Richard Hussey of Manchester Pennsylvania, Matt and his wife Carrie Gooding of Fort Benning, Georgia, Nathan of Saco; and her nine grandchildren: Morgan, Ryan, Jack, Bella, Dagen, Benjamin, Cavan, Alaina and Briana. Barbara had a special bond with all of her brothers and sisters, as well as their spouses: Lynne Anne Walsh, Kim and Carlton Gardner, Kerry and Jon Blacker, Jeff and Cindy Wright and Greg and Kari Wright. Barbara was also loved and affectionately known as Aunt Barbie by eleven nieces and nephews and nine great nieces and nephews.
Barbara’s family would especially like to thank Deena and Lisa of Beacon Hospice and Laurie, her special care attendant for all the support and compassion they have provided this past year.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Cornerstone United Methodist Church of Saco.
Calling hours are scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, at Hope Memorial Chapel in Biddeford, Maine. A service in honor of Barbara Gooding will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, at Cornerstone Methodist Church in Saco, Maine. Friends and family are welcome to both the calling hours and service.
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