Deborah Jeanne Goering of Bowdoinham, ME, age 72, entered into the presence of the Lord on April 4, 2026.
Born at St. Joseph Hospital in Syracuse, NY on September 14, 1953 to parents Robert Edward Goering and Rosemary Julia Goering (Hoysack). At an early age they moved to Erieville, NY.
She graduated from Morrisville-Eaton Central School. Her Catholic faith was important to her, entering the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis and upon taking her vows became Sister Paul Sebastián. As a sister she obtained an undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts from Maria Regina College, a BA from The Catholic University of America, and a MA in Art Education from Maryland College. For the next 23 years she taught art, her passion, in schools in various places, including Puerto Rico.
After leaving the community, she continued her dedication to Catholic education by getting her Masters of Education from Our Lady of the Lake University and becoming a school principal. She led schools in Texas, NY, Zuni Reservation, and Maine, touching the lives of many students and their families. She also taught art for adults in continuing education classes.
In later years she opened her home to individuals needing support as a licensed Direct Support Professional, a shared living provider, providing a safe space for them to learn new skills or heal from a trauma.
She was also very active in the All Saints Parish, St. Ambrose in Richmond, ME, in particular. Debbie was a Eucharistic Minister who assisted the priests and served her Church family on Sunday mornings. She brought communion to those who were in a nursing home or homebound, often running errands for them too. She truly enjoyed the once a month hospitality time with other parishioners.
Her family is very appreciative of all the love and support from her church family, along with her friends and neighbors, this past year.
Besides her faith and passion for art, she enjoyed rockhounding, planting daffodils in the thousands, seafood, bunnies, and especially chocolate!
Her nieces and nephews will remember their art lessons and snow tubing parties with Aunt Debbie along with visits to Maine to have feasts at her picnic table.
She also had a unique sense of humor. Many will remember the story of the Queen Anne’s Lace she painted orange.
The love of her life was her dog Willow, a stray dog from her time on the Zuni Reservation that adopted her, who just turned 20 years old.
Debbie is survived by her seven siblings: Robert (Camilla), Melanie, Mary (William) Schloss, Dennis (Martha), Joseph, Jonathan, Julia (Whitney) Oliver. And her aunts and uncles: Phyllis and Donald Lewis, Patricia and William Weiss. Her nieces and nephews: Nathan (Kim) Schloss, Tamar (Paolo) D'Ambrogio, Christopher (Jessa) Schloss, Crystal (RJ) Fischer, Marlowe Jones, Michael Goering, Carolyn Goering, James Goering, Jessica Oliver, Whitney Oliver. Her great nieces and nephews: Rosamaria, Roberto, Abigail, Angelina, Gavin, Olivia, Elliott, Israel, Serra.
She was predeceased by her parents Robert Edward Goering and Rosemary Julia Goering (Hoysack).
A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Deborha on Satruday, April 18th at 10AM at St. Ambrose Church in Richmond, ME. following mass there will be a coffee hour to to share stories about Debbie.
A Funeral/Celebration will be held near her home town at a later date.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in memory at American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, or your favorite animal shelter.