Mary-Ellen Goodspeed

November 6, 1954 - February 17, 2022

Mary-Ellen McDonough Goodspeed passed away peacefully in her home on February 17, 2022 at the age of 67. Mary-Ellen was a long-time resident of the Seacoast having a special love of this short stretch of coastline in her native New Hampshire. Mary-Ellen grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire though she spent nearly every summer in Rye Beach with her beloved grandparents Ethel and George Carrier. She was a graduate of The Derryfield School and University of New Hampshire where she studied Social Work. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy from Notre Dame College and was later a practicing psychotherapist where she focused on working with children and families. She spent most of her career working at the Family Therapy Institute, which she loved. She touched so many people’s lives through her work. It was her love of family, friends and of entertaining and cooking for which Mary-Ellen will be most fondly remembered. She was a consummate hostess, loved to feed people, to “fool” and surprise people with a well-placed non sequitur that never failed to get a resounding round of laughter. Christmas was her favorite holiday. She thrilled in giving gifts and was sure to have multiple trees throughout her house so that no one was ever in any doubt as to whether they should be engaging in holiday cheer or snuggled up on the couch “doing cozy”. Mary-Ellen loved being a mother and grandmother. She cherished her children Katie and Brendan and their spouses. She was over the moon when she became a grandmother to Jack, Charlie and Julien. She spoiled them with lots of baby clothes, toys and treats. She loved reading to them, cooking for them and spending time together at the beach. Mary-Ellen was a long-time member of the Rye Beach Club and spent many a summer day and evening by the Atlantic, close to the summertime home of her parents and grandparents, enjoying the company of her many friends and her family. It is here where her spirit sang and where her family will feel closest to her. Mary Ellen was predeceased by her grandparents Ethel and George Carrier and Mariah and Thomas McDonough and her parents Helen and Gus McDonough. She will be dearly missed by her heartbroken children, Katie Goodspeed and Brendan Goodspeed, her daughter-in-law Lindsay Goodspeed and her son-in-law Eric Kostegan. She had a special place in her enormous heart for her three amazing grandsons: Jack and Charlie Goodspeed, and Julien Goodspeed Kostegan, who will remember their “Mimi” with great fondness and affection. She is also survived by her beloved big brother David McDonough and sister-in-law Anne McDonough. Mary-Ellen’s family and friends are invited to pay their respects during visiting hours at Remick and Gendron Funeral Home in Hampton, NH from 6:00-8:00pm on Wednesday, March 2nd. On Thursday, March 3rd at 11:00am there will be a service at Little Harbor Chapel followed by a celebration of her life at The Abenaqui Country Club in Rye Beach, NH. Little Harbor Chapel is located at 335 Little Harbor Road Portsmouth, NH and The Abenaqui Country Club is located at 731 Central Road in Rye Beach, NH. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association, https://www.alz.org/ an organization she supported in honor of her mother.