Dorothy "Dottie" Woods Smith

Dorothy “Dottie” Woods Smith, 87, of Gorham

It is with deep sorrow we announce that our brilliant  mother, Dorothy Lucille Woods Smith, passed away on April 4^th, 2025 at Gorham House after a long illness. Dorothy was born on December 12^th, 1937, to Bud and Josie Woods and grew up in Kittery Point, Maine with her three younger sisters.

Dorothy was a polio survivor and tireless advocate for others like herself. She earned her RN at Johns Hopkins in 1960. A life-long learner, she later completed a master’s degree in education at USM, followed by a second master’s in nursing and then a PhD in nursing from NYU and a certificate in Holistic Healing.  She dedicated her career to teaching and research, making significant contributions to the understanding of Post Polio Syndrome as well as integrative and holistic healing focused on chronic pain management. Dorothy was a gifted teacher and inspired many students as a professor in the College of Nursing at USM. After her retirement, she continued to teach and host healing workshops.

Dorothy is survived by her beloved sisters, Nancy Rearick Jean Boobar and Dena Randall; her children, Julia Smith, Deborah Landry and Stephen Smith; daughter in law, Jolie; three grandsons, Jake, Ben and Sam, and her ex-husband, Spencer. Dorothy’s oldest son James predeceased her in 2023.

Dorothy will be deeply missed by her family, friends and colleagues. She had a brilliant mind and a gift for healing. Her passion for helping others and commitment to making the world a better place will continue to inspire us all.

A Celebration for Dorothy’s life will be held at 11:00am on May 3rd, 2025 at the Congregational Church of Kittery, 23 Pepperrell Rd, Kittery Point, ME. In honor of Dorothy’s love for the color blue, please consider wearing a touch of her favorite color to the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Patricia Geary memorial Scholarship at USM, Post Polio Health International (St. Louis, MO), Pumpkin Hollow Retreat Center, (Craryville, NY), Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Class 1960 Scholarship (Baltimore, MD) or the Alzheimer’s Association.