Obituary of Dorothy Coughlin

Dorothy Elizabeth Coughlin, a retired accountant, passed away on Monday morning at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. She was 86 years old. Dorothy was born in Cambridge, the daughter of the late Harry and Hilda Ryan. She grew up in North Cambridge and was a graduate of Rindge Technical High School in Cambridge. She married Dennis Coughlin and they settled in Woburn in 1955 to raise their family. She worked for 25 years as an accountant at Madico Inc in Woburn. She enjoyed many challenges her career presented her. Dorothy was such a joy to be around. She was the one with the fun ideas or the organizer for trips or events. Her children remember her as the CCD Teacher, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troop leader. She would gather all the neighborhood children for the neighbor May Day Parade. Her backyard and pool was the gathering place for her children and their friends during the summer months. She was the same way with her friends. She was a very active member of the Red Hot Squares, country line and square dancing group. She would organize weekends away, dinners, and her famous Halloween parties. She was also involved in the Woburn Senior Center and a number of candlepin bowling leagues. In her later years, she became a pseudo tour director. She organized over 20 cruises for her and her friends, haggling for the best price, transportation to and from the airport, and selecting the best itineraries. They shared so many wonderful memories as a group and traveled together well into their 80’s. Dorothy enriched the lives of her family and many friends. She was energetic, happy, self-confident, loving, kind, and simply a fun person. She will be missed by all. Dorothy was the loving wife of the late Dennis W. Loving mother of Kathleen Coughlin & her husband Michael Dorval of Easthampton, Dennis W. of Tewksbury, Diane Raposo & her husband Edward of Wakefield, Christine Burke & her husband Christopher of Chelmsford. Sister of Beverly Doucette of Clearwater, FL, the late Shirley Mahoney, Norman and Harry Ryan. Proud grandmother of Melissa Murray of CO, Emily and Matthew Raposo both of Wakefield. Great grandmother of Kaya, Jude and Sophia. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side) on Thursday, August 6 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Anthony Church, 851 Main St., Woburn at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. Interment in Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn. Memorials in Dorothy’s name may be made to Best Buddies Massachusetts, 45 Bromfield St., Seventh Floor, Boston, MA 02108 or www.bestbuddiesma.org.