Catherine L. Goodwin, 89, of Chelmsford died on June 15, 2011 in Lowell.

Born in Dracut, MA to Roland M. and Louisa Pearce Hill, Catherine married John A. Goodwin in 1943, and raised four children in Lowell and Chelmsford. Catherine graduated from Dracut HS and in 1943 from Lowell State Teachers College. She served as President of her college class from 1940 onward, organizing class reunions through their 65th in 2008. U Lowell recognized her alumni participation with the 1993 Distinguished Alumni Graduate Award.

She was a life-long learner and is best remembered for her varied roles in sharing local history. She not only unearthed historical facts, but discerned the social context and personalities she researched, often with a subtle sense of humor. Beginning in the 1970s, she planned exhibitions for Lowell Museum relating to mill city life: china typical of 1880s in Lowell, silver by Lowell silversmiths, ladies underwear, portraits of historic Lowell people and personalities. In the 1980s for the Whistler House, she researched early Lowell artists, particularly the Shutes and Thomas Cantwell Healy; and for artist Samuel P. Howes, two years of her work culminated in an exhibition and catalog. She planned the Whistler House 100th Anniversary and hung every painting Whistler House owned. She oversaw the beginning of their conservation program. In the early 2000s, she presented “Ladies of Lowell” exhibition and lecture series. Together with her husband John, she presented lectures on a variety of topics to Lowell, Dracut and Chelmsford historical societies.

Catherine is well known for her association with Lowell Cemetery. She originated tours of the cemetery in 1981, and became the cemetery’s first female Trustee in 1991. Her lasting legacy is the definitive book she researched and wrote Mourning Glory: The Story of Lowell Cemetery (1992). Her husband John took most of the photos for the book, and daughter Elizabeth helped her revise a 2nd edition in 2002.

Catherine and John together received a Lowell Community Service Award in 2007, and were commended as “‘local treasures’ whose contributions in the areas of local history, education, art and human services have enriched our quality of life.”

Earlier, she actively participated in a number of cultural and charitable organizations, serving on the boards of directors for Lowell Mental Health Asso., Florence Crittenton League, International Institute, Whistler House Museum of Art, and Lowell Historical Society. In the 1990s she participated in the Association for Gravestone Studies. She was a life-long member of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Lowell and active summers at St. Peter’s by the Sea in Ogunquit, ME. She was always a gracious and welcoming hostess to family and friends, and entertained them with amusing stories.

She is survived by husband John A. Goodwin, children Elizabeth A. Long (Robert) of Lisle, IL, William B. Goodwin (Meredith) of Whitehouse Station, NJ, Jean C. Demetracopoulos (John) of S. Berwick, ME, and seven adult grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. She was preceded in death by daughter Catherine Ruth Goodwin. She is also survived by sisters Rowena Scott (Dover, DE) and Irene Vallee (Fort Collins, CO).

A memorial service will be celebrated Saturday, August 6 at 11:00 am at the Lowell Cemetery Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Middlesex Community College's Catherine L. Goodwin Scholarship Fund [c/o MCC Foundation, PO Box 716, Bedford, MA 01730], Whistler House Museum of Art [243 Worthen Street, Lowell, MA 01852-1822], or Lowell Cemetery [77 Knapp Avenue, Lowell, MA 01852-4240].

The Lowell Cemetery could not function without the knowledge and dedication of  R. Brabrook Walsh, Superintendent since 1996. He oversees the operation of the cemetery including all burials and services. He is committed to the sensitivity of all our many visitors and grieving families. He has worked diligently to bring professionalism to all of the staff.

Seth Durno has been the Assistant Superintendent since 2005 and shares the responsibility of preparing for all interments and the operation and maintenance of all the equipment. He has had years of experience in the operation of cemeteries and grounds keeping.

Irene Finneral has been the Office Manager since 2002 and maintains all burial records. She is responsible for all bookkeeping functions and planning of the many events that take place throughout the year. Her responsibility includes often dealing with Funeral Directors and scheduling of interments. She also responds to many genealogy requests.

Jorge Munera is the Foreman and has been an employee since 2000. Jorge has many responsibilities including preparing for interments and landscaping.

Julie Danforth, a Master Gardener, has been our Landscape Designer since 2004. Julie takes great pride in her work and it shows in our more than 50 gardens. From the early blossoms of the tulips, daffodils and alliums in the early spring, the lovely daylilies and hydrangeas and Knockout roses in the summer to the mums in the fall, our gardens are an amazing display of color and beauty. In the last few years Julie has continued to add mini hillside plantings of spiraea, nine bark, rhododendron and clematis.

Our office hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Phone: (978)454-5191

The Lawrence Street and Knapp Avenue gate hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM during the winter months.
Our spring/summer gate hours will go into effect on April 15th. The gates will be open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

The popularity of Lowell Cemetery began in the 1840s as a refuge from the confines of the mill city. The crowded boardinghouses and noise of the mills were exchanged for an oasis of peace.

Lowell was the second largest city in Massachusetts at this time, and community leaders, proud of their city were determined to have every advantage available here. A “rural” cemetery was one of those amenities.

As in the custom of the 19th century, Lowell Cemetery continues to be the landscape park of the 1840s with its tree canopy, ornamental shrubs and many Victorian gardens. Nature’s beauty combines with human artistry and elegant and interesting gravestones.

Lowell Cemetery is proud to be members of the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau

We are fortunate to have a distinguished Board of Directors, all active in the community and known for their creativity, generosity and philanthropies . They are as follows:

James D. Latham -

• President since 2010
• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 1978
• Finance Committee
• Lifetime Choice, Inc – Principal & General Counsel
• New Horizons – Director of Development
• Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. – Senior Vice Pres. – General Council Hotels 1998-2001
• Lowell Five Cent Savings - corporator
• Lowell General Hospital - corporator
• Former Director of Lowell Art Association
• Former Vestry of St. Anne’s Church
• Former Chairman Lowell Republican City Committee
• ITT Sheraton Corp, Senior Vice President – Secretary- General Counsel 1992-1998

Robert S. McKittrick -

• Member of the Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 2003
• Vice President since 2010
•  - Finance Committee
•  - Building Committee (Project completed)
• President, McKittrick Industrial Supply, Inc., Lowell, MA
• President, Abbott-Treat, Inc., Lawrence, MA
• Treasurer, Chelmsford Investments Holdings, Inc.
• Treasurer, Realty Professionals, Inc.
• Trustee for the Merrimack Repertory Theatre
•  - Finance Committee
•  - Executive Committee
• Trustee for the Merrimack River Valley House
•  - Building Committee
• Board of Directors W.I.T.H., Inc. (associated with Alternative House)
• Volunteer at Alternative House Fundraisers
• Lowell General Hospital, Corporator

George R. Dana -

• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since1993
• Cemetery Grounds Committee
• Trustee of Horn Home since 1991
• Trustee of Children’s Home
• Trustee & Active Member of Christ Church United, formerly All Souls Church
• Member of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation
• Member of Lowell Historical Society
• Member of Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust
• Member of Lowell Association for the Blind
• Volunteer at the Whistler House

Frank Alexander Wilson -

• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 1996
• Building Committee (Project completed)
• Cemetery Grounds Committee
• Member of the Finance Committee
• Trustees of the Ayer Home, Director
• Lowell General Hospital, corporator
• Merrimack River Valley House, Friend
• Rape Crisis Services of Greater Lowell (past President, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• Colby College Alumni Council Executive Committee, President, Colby C Club, (past-President Alumni Association & Chair, Alumni Council Executive Committee, 2003-2005)
• Senior Account Manager (Sales), Courier Corporation

George L. Duncan -

• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 2005
• Finance Committee
• Founder and Chairman of Enterprise Bank which opened in January 1989
• Board member and Chairman of Lowell General Hospital
• Board member and last year's President of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation
• Board member of the Coalition for a Better Acre

Lewis Karabatsos -

• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 2008
• Member of the Cemetery Grounds Committee
• Member of the Finance Committee
• Community Service Board Memberships include the following:
• Lowell Historical Society, Treasurer& Past President
• Lowell Historic Board, Past Member
• Lowell Art Association, Past President &: Board Member
• Lowell Day Nursery, Past Board Member
• Lowell Heritage State Park Steering Committee, Past Member
• Lowell Heritage State Park Interpretive Committee, Past Member
• Lowell Ethnic Heritage Council, Past Co-Chair

Rosemary Noon –

• Member of the Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 2010
• Member of Cemetery Grounds Committee
• Principal of the Loom Press
• Proving cultural programming & administrative consulting services.
• Director of Communications & Cultural Affairs, Regis College (2002-2007)
• Co-Chair, Museum Studies Dept. (1002-2007)
• Director, Fine Arts Center, Regis College (1993-2002)
• Established residencies with Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston (1994-current) & Massachusetts Youth Ballet (2000-2004)
• Director, Lowell Office of Cultural Affairs, (1988-1993)
• Assist. Director of Cultural Affairs, Lowell Historic Preservation Commision, U.S. Dept of Interior, (1983-1988)
• Visiting Lecturer, Art Department, UMass Lowell (1984-1993)

H. Bailey Trull, Jr. - (Honorary)

• Member of the Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 1978
• President of Board of Trustees 2005-2009
• Finance Committee
• Cemetery Grounds Committee
• Owner and Retired C.E.O of Trull Brook Golf Club
• Member of Board of Directors Lowell Coop Bank for 37 years
• Past Board Member of Lowell Boys Club
• Past Member of Advisory Board of Salvation Army
• Past Member of Tewksbury School Committee

Niki Tsongas - (Honorary)

• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 2003
• Cemetery Grounds Committee
• Congresswoman for Fifth District Middlesex County
• Middlesex Community College, Massachusetts 1997 - 2007
• Dean of External Affairs
• Executive Director, Middlesex Community College Foundation
• Lowell Middlesex Academy Teacher 1993 – 1995
• Tsongas and Murphy, P.C., Lowell Partner 1988 - 1991
• TD Bank north, Massachusetts, Board of Directors (1996 – 2007)
• Lowell Arena and Civic Stadium Commission, Commissioner (1997 – present)
• The Lowell Plan, Board of Directors (1997 – present)
• The International Institute of Boston, Board of Directors (2003 – present)
• Women Working Wonders Fund, Founder, Leadership Committee (2004 – present)
• Lowell Cemetery, Board of Directors (2003 – present)
• New England Council, Creative Economy Initiative (2001 – 2006)
• Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Board of Trustees (1984 – 2003), President (1994 – 1997)
• Pollard Memorial Library (City Library), Board of Trustees (1986 – 2003)
• United Way of Merrimack Valley, Chair, Annual Fund (1996-1997)
• Board of Directors (1997 – 2002)
• Trustee, the Pike School, Andover (1987-1995)

Mehmed Ali -

• Member of Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board since 2008
• (Currently on leave of absence)
• Cemetery Grounds Committee
• 2009 to present, U.S. Embassy Baghdad – Special Advisor for Outreach
• 2008 to 2009 -U.S. Embassy Baghdad – Cultural Affairs Liaison
• 2001 to 2008 - Lowell National Historical Park Director, Patrick Mogan Cultural Center
• Have worked for the Federal government for over 20 years including on active duty in the United States Marine Corps and at the United States Postal Service
• Substantial volunteer experience in a leadership capacity with over a dozen nonprofit organizations including Lowell Cemetery, Oral History Association, Massachusetts History Day, Public Health Museum of Massachusetts, Lowell Historical Society and Greater Lowell Community Foundation
• Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell
• National Parks Conservation Association
• The Greater Lowell Genealogy Club