Dorothy Goodwin

Dorothy D. Goodwin was born October 16, 1931, in Boston Massachusetts to Sherwood Perry Smedley and Dorothy Ayer Dillingham (Smedley). She grew up in Exeter, New Hampshire from 1931-1954. She passed away peacefully at Green House Assisted Living, Founders Hall surrounded by her children Laura and Mike and nieces Tracy, Amy, and Amy’s husband Tim. She spent her summers as a child at the Hampton’s, Rye Beach and riding horses in the Big Horn Mountains at Paradise Ranch and later rode horses and did ranch chores at the Smedley cabin in the Big Horn Mountains. Dorothy graduated from Westover School, Middlebury, Connecticut in 1949. She graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Oberlin, Ohio in 1953. She spent a year abroad on a scholarship at the University of Freiburg in Germany from 1953 – 1954. She went to Denver University from 1954- 1955. She graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Master’s of Education in Adult Education in 1987.

Dorothy loved the outdoors and bird watched a lot keeping journals over the years of the birds she’d seen. She was delighted when a new bird migrated through Wyoming. She set up a 2-acre wetland project outside of Sheridan for birds.

Dorothy reentered the workforce upon Mike entering kindergarten at Big Horn School. She started as a substitute teacher, working at the school for several years. She also did programming and worked at KROE radio for about 5 years. Later, Dorothy became the Coordinator of Community Services at Sheridan College for 13 years. She set up classes for adult learners and she lined up teachers for the outreach classes. She played a big part in setting up the Gillette Community College in Gillette Wyoming. Dorothy retired from Sheridan College in 1993.

Dorothy was knowledgeable and could tell stories for hours of her adventures traveling the world. She was a great companion with Eve Sawyer on her trips to France for painting classes, as Dorothy was fluent in French. She took a few of her grandchildren on trips. James and Dustyn took to Israel, Sara took to France and Westley took to Alaska.

Dorothy was amazing at knitting and crochet. She made many prayer shawls and shawls for family members and breastfeeding mothers. She made dozens of stocking hats, mittens, and socks to send to needy children in other countries for U.S. soldiers to deliver. She made afghans and blankets with edging for the children at St. Joseph’s in Torrington, sending out her last shipment in December of 2023.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Sherwood and Dorothy Smedley, her sister Nancy Arney, a grandson Dustyn Goodwin, her sister-in-law Lorene Smedley, and her ex-husband James E. Goodwin. Dorothy is survived by her children Laura Anne Goodwin (Pope) with her husband Robert, and Michael James Goodwin, and by her brother Frank P. Smedley.

Grandchildren: James and Sara Pope, Westley Goodwin, and Ben Reece. Great grandchildren: Michelle, Dorothy, Victoria Pope, William, Johnathan, Peter and Annika Doenz, Braxton, Dominic, Christian, Aspen, Trinity, Liberty, Terence, and Myles Pope. Nieces and nephews: Sonja Smedley with her partner Dale and her friend Mary Margaret, Mark Smedley with his wife Linda, Marla Skadsen with her husband Mark, Tracy Smedley with her husband John Sjoblom, Matthew Smedley with his wife Jenelle, Amy Smedley with her husband Tim Moe, Eric Arney with his wife Debbie, Katie Canfield with her husband Shane White, Alec Arney with his wife Lori Silverman and Max Arney with his wife Brenda.

Great nieces and nephews: Martina Silverman-Hecht, Ben Hecht with his wife Joanie, Jake Arney, Bethanie Moose with her husband Steven, Matthew and Jenna Skadsen, Christopher Smedley and Tanner Morris.

Great great nieces and nephews: Vivian Hecht, Zeke Anthony Hecht, and Zeke Moose.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 9th, at 2:00pm at St. Peters’ Episcopal Church, followed by a reception at the church.

The live stream will be available.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxVqUIHm8HNaJT0VlnSmDSg

Online condolences may be written at www.kanefuneral.com. Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.