Martha Gouin

Martha Iles Peterson Gouin (Molly) was born in Norwood, MA, on February 18, 1942, and passed away October 9, 2022, in Ocala FL. She was the 1st daughter and 2nd child of six born to Clarence and Greta Capps Peterson of Sharon, MA. She attended Sharon High School and graduated from Kents Hill School in Maine in 1958 where she also was known as ‘Becky.’ She attended Mills College in CA before returning home to Plaistow, NH, where she lived for many years. While there she oversaw the family rental properties; managed the local power company office; served as school secretary for Hampstead schools; worked at Wang Laboratories; and before retiring, worked as a bookkeeper for a small local accounting firm. In 1970 she married Louie Gouin with whom she spent many happy years, until his death in 1999. Molly heard the call of the South and so relocated to Myrtle Beach, SC, in 2003. Three years later, while traveling solo on an Alaskan cruise, life handed her a second chance at love when she met her future partner, Roland Morin. Again, the call of the South beckoned, so Molly and Roland relocated together and built a new home in Ocala, FL in 2020, despite COVID.

Throughout her high school and college years, Molly enjoyed basketball, tennis and swimming. She was well known for her love of the ocean and sun-bathing. A gifted gardener, she shared her love of growing things with many gardening clubs. She enjoyed playing the piano, attending concerts and theater shows. An avid reader, she was an active member of several book clubs. The hallmark of her later years was traveling and exploring, and her love of adventure took her to a myriad of places including Albuquerque, Alaska, China, Greece, Hawaii, Italy, the Netherlands, Panama, Seattle, Colorado, Nevada, California, Tennessee and Canada. Molly and Roland especially enjoyed trekking up the coast to Cape Cod where they spent summers in their camper near the water.

A lover of animals, she shared her home with numerous cats and dogs through the years and most recently set her sights on learning about horses. She embraced adult education with a fervor, attending any class that might be offered in her community. She was a brilliant woman with an incisive mind and an unfailing attention to detail, willing to embark fearlessly on any new adventure that might come along.

She was preceded in death by both her parents, husband Lou Gouin (1999), brothers Alan (1998) and David (2022), and sister Elizabeth (2019). She is survived by sisters Marilyn Guarino (Al) and Nancy Crovetti (Jim); nieces Dorothy Owens (KY), Anna Guarino (FL) and Cynthia Ghaffari (WA); nephew Hans Ghaffari (CA); three grand-nephews; sister-in-law Devon Knight (David); and her life partner, Roland Morin.

She battled and won her fight with cancer 20 years ago. Her strength and resilience in battling that foe and the myriad of other physical challenges that beset her during her 80 years is her legacy. A hallmark of her outlook on life is echoed in the words of one of her favorite songs: “I Hope You Dance” (LeeAnn Womack). She even printed personal business cards that read simply, ‘Dance.’

“…I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens, Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, Dance... I hope you dance…”

Contact the family for any further information.