Celebration of Life

Dorothy "Dorrie" Goemans, of Nashua, passed away on Friday March 25th, 2022 at the age of fourteen. 

Dorrie began her life before she was meant to do so, her extremely premature birth requiring her to spend most of her first year in the hospital. She eventually came home with a small clinic's worth of medical equipment and supplies. But in spite of her rough start and subsequent limitations, no one showed more enjoyment in everything than Dorrie.  

She loved to feel the wind on her face and move fast - being pushed along by someone, swinging in her swing in the backyard, riding on the bike she was generously granted by Make-a-Wish, or on any amusement park ride which could accommodate her wheelchair.  She loved to watch people who could move their bodies in ways she could not, and was excited by dancers, gymnasts and figure skaters, often flinging her arms in what seemed to be an imitation of what she could see. She was able to try many sports in adaptive form, and enjoyed both downhill skiing and ice skating. She participated in baseball through the Miracle League of Massachusetts for many years, always excited to come up to the tee with her special Princess Sofia bat. We are grateful she was able to get in one last season in the fall of 2021 after the pandemic interruption. While she could not speak using words, her looks and her smile spoke volumes.

She loved riding the bus to school, to go to a place with so many people and activities where there was always something new to see. She adored bright colors and moving lights, the feel of a weighted blanket on her arms, biting down hard on anything that came within reach of her mouth, and laughing inappropriately whenever her siblings got in trouble.

She was a fan of Sesame Street and SpongeBob SquarePants. Their streaming numbers will surely be greatly affected by her passing. 

She is predeceased by her grandfather Donald Butler and her grandmother Jane Goemans. She will be missed always by the rest of her family:  parents Kate Butler and Bob Goemans, sister Elizabeth and brother Emmett, grandmother Heidi Butler, Uncles Jeff (Jenn) Butler and Jonathan (Heather) Butler, grandfather Paul Goemans, Uncle Steve (Jenny) Goemans, and numerous cousins, great-aunts, great-uncles and more.  She also leaves behind the others who were so important in her life, her teachers and therapists, her home nursing team both past and present, and many caring doctors and other medical professionals.

You can visit Dorrie and her beautiful purple lilac tree at the coordinates listed below.

43.12273 , -71.93837