Obituary of Dorothy M. Sousa

Dorothy (Dot) Sousa passed away on May 12, 2022 at her home in Georgetown, Maine after a short illness. She had just turned 65 on May 5. She passed peacefully with her family by her side. She leaves behind her husband and life partner of forty years, Michael (Mike) Rubin, her daughter, Nicole Rubin, her son, Nathan (Nate) Rubin, several cousins, and her cat, Luna, for whom Dot was clearly her favorite person. Dot was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, grew up in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and lived many years in various towns around Lowell before moving to Georgetown, Maine in 2001. She also spent much of the winter in Punta Gorda, Florida. Dot graduated from the University of Lowell with a BA in French. She worked at several technology companies in Massachusetts as a software tester. It was at the first of these jobs that she met her future husband. Dot was a strong and independent woman with a great smile. She knew what she liked even if it bucked current trends; she was often seen wearing colorful scarves, shawls, and other unconventional clothing. And she was never timid when her opinion differed from yours. She was very spiritual. Dot was a devotee of earth-based religions including Wicca and Shamanism and incorporated many Hindi and Buddhist ideas into her daily life. She attended Unitarian/ Universalists churches and Buddhist retreats for many years. Dot absolutely loved animals. From early childhood, she had at least one and usually several pets at one time including many dogs, cats, birds, ducks, and fish. She loved plants and plants loved her. Dot grew organic vegetables, was a member of MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) for several decades, and was a certified Maine Master Gardener. She loved the beauty of nature and was very connected to the earth. Dot was a voracious reader - especially non-fiction. She loved to browse through any and all bookstores. In the evening, she liked nothing better than to sit reading a book about one of her countless interests while sipping on a cup of tea and listening to mellow New Age or Hindi music while Luna slept on the ottoman in front of Dot’s favorite chair. Or, on a nice sunny spring or summer day, you would frequently find her out on the deck with a beer and a book. Dot was an amazing Mom. She homeschooled both of her children while making home cooked meals almost every night. She was always there for her children regardless of how busy her day was. Her hobbies included many fiber arts: knitting, spinning, and weaving. She also was an accomplished jewelry maker. She met often with several groups around these interests and took several classes to learn more about these hobbies. Dot was a lifelong vegetarian and loved to cook with fresh organic ingredients. She was always experimenting in the kitchen; cookbooks were a guideline, not rule books. She loved to cook new and original multi-cultural dishes. At one time, her cookbook collection numbered several hundred volumes. And, of course, she also loved to eat all of these wonderful dishes often alongside a new microbrew beer, wine, or cocktail. Dot liked several types of music from rock & roll to classical to jazz to new age. She played guitar as well as various types of drums. It was not unusual for a song to inspire enthusiastic singing and dancing. She loved organizing. Decluttering wasn’t a chore but a goal to be achieved. Dot loved shopping. She could browse for hours at TJ Maxx or HomeGoods. She loved to search for throws, rugs, candles, incense, etc. that made her home cozy. She liked technology and gadgets - particularly her iPad, iPhone, and AppleWatch. She enjoyed spending time on social media and news sites, and she was a serious “farming and crafting” game player. Dot was a strong feminist. She was very concerned with the diminishing rights of women for which she fought so hard in her youth. She also had an unwavering belief in equality for all regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, or religion and respect for all living things. Dot’s family will be holding a small private ceremony at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dot’s name to the American Breast Cancer Foundation or the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). Memories and condolences may be shared on her tribute wall.