SEBAGO- Deborah P. (Smith) Dobrowski passed away peacefully at the Barron Center in Portland, ME on June 3, 2024. She was born on April 9, 1952 in Manchester, NH to Ross G. Smith Jr and Frances Melvin (Tibbetts) Smith. She was raised in Derry and Nashua, NH. After graduating from Nashua High School, she attended Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, PA. Debbie went on to seek several careers, earning degrees in nursing and dietary nutrition from Southern Maine Technical College. She worked as a CNA at Seaside Nursing Home and the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. After completing her degree in Nutrition, she worked at Market Square Nursing Home in South Paris until her retirement.
In 1980 she married Thomas M. Dobrowski, her husband and forever best friend. Since 1984, they have lived as an inseparable couple on the shores of Sebago Lake. Together they have enjoyed long distance trucking, scuba diving, gardening, biking, reading, raising many animals, as well as entertaining family and friends. Debbie also passed countless hours knitting beautiful creations of love for those she cherished. Dr. John Stanhope, his wife Elaine and four children have been special neighbors and best friends since their move to Sebago. The Stanhopes have expressed their love and feeling of loss during Debbie's 3-month battle with cancer. These feelings are shared by her family and many, many friends.
Debbie is predeceased by her parents, Ross G. Smith Jr and Frances Melvin Smith. She is survived by her beloved husband Thomas M. Dobrowski of 44 years. She is also survived by many cousins and their families, including her cousin, Jane Mitchell and life partner Dana Bogart of Lyman, her son Gregory Mitchell and daughter Lindsay Hamilton, husband Colin and their sons Liam and Rory; cousin Ruth Southworth and husband Warren of Searsport and their children, Tenney Spiegel, husband Kristyon, son 2nd Lt.Charles (USMC), wife Alia and daughter Emma; son Dana, wife Suzanne, daughter Alexandra, son Ryan; son Christopher, wife Stephanie, daughter Katherine, son Thomas; cousin Tenney Gavaza of Deer Isle; cousin Harriette Duford and husband Ronald of Wells, daughter Amy Morrison and husband Jamie and children; late son Nathan, and daughter Emily and her children.
Deb is also survived by many loving in-laws, George Dobrowski and his late wife Catherine of Denton, TX and their children, Elizabeth Boedecker and her husband Shawn, daughter Alexa and son Jason; daughter Dana Patten and her husband Kiva, sons Henry and Oliver; daughter Michelle and her partner Erica; Patricia Gorton and her late husband Jim of Hooksett, NH, son Jamie and wife Rachael; daughter Maegan Soderburg and husband Carl and families; Elaine O'Donal and husband Jeff of Gorham, ME, daughters Stephanie and Stacey and families. Other loving family members include Lena Campbell and family, Yvonne Desrosier, John Veanie and family, Lillian Parenteau and family, the Roger and Claire Belisle family and cousins Steve and Anne Korzyniowski.
A celebration of our love for Debbie will be held at a later date.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home website, www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Spaulding Memorial Library in Sebago.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home, Cornish, www.mainefuneral.com