ROCKLAND — Irma Sylvia Miller Goldsmith left her family on Saturday, September 18, 2021, at the age of 96.

Born in Boston on August 8, 1925, Irma was the oldest daughter of Samuel Miller and Mildred Greene Miller. She moved with her family from Boston to Auburn, Maine at the age of 9, then to Lewiston in her senior year
where her father opened his jewelry business.

Irma graduated from the University of Maine in 1946 after just three years with a degree in psychology. During her senior year, she met her husband, Mickey Goldsmith, and they married in September, 1946 when he returned from the service. Following their marriage, Irma taught school at the University while Mickey completed his three final years of college. They soon moved to Old Town where they raised their family and Mickey built his sporting goods company.

Irma continued on to earn her Masters in Education, all while raising four young children, tutoring students during the summer and teaching student teachers at the University how to teach reading in the classroom. Irma then began teaching elementary school full time and soon became the remedial reading specialist for the school district. She often could be found in the middle of winter walking to several nearby schools with books in her arms because she said it was good exercise!

Education was of high importance and an interest in reading, along with impeccable spelling and handwriting, was an expected attribute for her children.

A voracious reader, Irma read everything on the best seller lists, reading digital books on her iPad and Kindle until her final days. In her earlier years, Irma had been an accomplished needle pointer with many of her works, often elaborate oriental pieces, now hanging in the homes of her children. She also filled her hours with jigsaw puzzles and one was always being worked on in the middle of her dining room table.

Irma is survived by her sister, Dorothy Miller Gordon; daughter Diana (Jim) Brickel; son Dana (Carol) Goldsmith; and daughter Jodi (Terry) Veysey; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren (with one more on the way!).

She was predeceased by her son David; and husband of 73 years, Milton Goldsmith.

A special thanks to her many caretakers throughout the years, especially Ethylen Philbrook, who never failed to bring fresh roses every week and was with her to the end.

A graveside service will be held Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at 2 p.m., at Berliawsky-Small Cemetery, Upper Park Street in Rockland. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream of the service will be available on Mrs. Goldsmith’s Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com >Photos & Videos > Watch Webcast. For mobile users, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Watch Webcast’ link.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.