Michele René “Shelly” Goodkowsky, 65, died Sept. 4, 2023, at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick after a seven and a half year long battle with metastatic breast cancer.

She was born in Bangor, Maine, Oct. 30, 1957, the daughter of the late Karl and Rosamond (Perry) Goodkowsky. She grew up in Bangor, Brewer, Biddeford, and Saco before graduating from Narraguagus High School in Harrington in 1976.

For many years Shelly led an adventurous life. She pumped gas for the legendary Dick Stacey in Harrington, built homes in Mexico, delivered sailboats to Long Island Sound, was an au pair in Brazil, and managed the Ledgelawn Inn in Bar Harbor where she was Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s personal bartender. She later owned her own woodworking business, Pleasant River Designs, for several years before moving to Wiscasset to start a career as an insulator at Bath Iron Works building ships for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. While at the shipyard, she got involved in the union Local S6 and served as the treasurer as well as the chairwoman of the Human Rights Committee. Her work in these positions led her to being a staunch advocate for women and all folks that were discriminated against in the workplace. This work later brought her to D.C. to the then Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell’s office in support of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Shelly was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995, and after many negative experiences during that journey, her story attracted the attention of the Lewiston Sun Journal, who ran a front-page story on Shelly’s experiences. That newspaper piece was a catalyst for many others who stepped forward to share their experiences which led to changes in Maine law as to what health insurance companies had to cover when it came to breast cancer treatment, prosthetics, and more. In her life, Shelly stood up when she saw injustice, and if we are to honor Shelly, we must be like Shelly.

After B.I.W., Shelly worked for many years at R.M. Tate’s in Bath, cleaning homes and taking care of camps, sold tickets for schooners in Boothbay, and was a florist making floral arrangements for many weddings, proms, and centerpieces for Christmas. Later in life she particularly enjoyed making jewelry which she sold in stores all over Maine.

After 20 years living cancer free, she was diagnosed once again, this time, with metastatic breast cancer in 2016. The first couple years were very tough, but Shelly reclaimed her outlook over time, and in her own words was “Tougher than a boiled owl” as she defied expectations year after year.

Shelly was very creative and had an entrepreneurial spirit, whether it was working with wood, flowers, or balsam fir, restoring antique furniture, or making jewelry, she was always working on something, a crafter through and through. Her favorite moments were shared laughing and telling stories with family and friends, eating lobster, enjoying fish and chips from Bet’s Fish Fry, gardening, watching “Days of Our Lives,” listening to Unchained Melody, Perfect Symphony, or Bruno Mars tunes, playing the Maine State Lottery, and drinking Coca-Cola. She tended after many songbirds, crows, and was especially fond of her committee of raccoons and their kits that visited her year after year. She was very generous often giving people clothes, food, or just sage advice. She served on the board of directors for the Woolwich Historical Society and was a very successful fundraiser for that group as well as for Woolwich Days. She will always be remembered for her humor, positive outlook, and her many Shellyisms, which were always one of a kind.

Shelly was predeceased by her parents, and a brother Kevin.

She is survived by her son Evan Goodkowsky of Wiscasset; three brothers, Parris Hammond Sr. and wife Sarah of Harrington, David Perry Sr. of Cherryfield, Karl Goodkowsky and wife Sandra of Eddington; companion Todd McPhee of Woolwich; many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and wonderful friends that she cherished deeply.

A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, Sept. 13 at the Wiscasset Community Center from 5 to 7 p.m. A Graveside Service will be held Friday, Sept. 15 at noon at Mailey Hill Cemetery in Columbia, Maine followed by a reception at the Columbia Town Hall.

The family would like to thank her care team at Mid Coast Infusion Center as well as her team at CHANS. You folks were very special to her, and she greatly enjoyed your care, friendship, visits, and laughter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Shelly’s memory to the “Cancer Community Fund at Mid Coast Hospital,” P.O. Box 279, Brunswick, ME 04011.

Condolences, and messages for Shelly’s family may be sent to 19 Flood Ave, Wiscasset, ME 04578.