Carlie Goodrich

Obituary

Carlie Goodrich, 86, of Northfield, Vermont, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2025, in hospice care in Seattle, Washington, with her loved ones by her side.
Carlie was born in Northfield, Vermont, on August 14, 1939, and grew up with her four siblings: George “Junie” Goodrich Jr., Chloe (Goodrich) Schwager, Tom Goodrich, and Robert Goodrich. Carlie often attributed her lifelong love of all things milk to her childhood on a dairy farm. 
Carlie attended the University of Vermont, where she met her children’s father, Robert Collins. She loved and raised four children—Sean, Ashley, Graham, and Ethan Collins—in Northfield, Vermont. Carlie’s beloved son, Graham, died in 2018 from pancreatic cancer. Carlie is survived by her cherished grandchildren—Shane Noyes; Sage and Lara Collins; and Sylvia and Phoebe Collins—as well as her daughters-in-law, Mary Kay Sambuchino and Cortney Cahill, and her son-in-law, Erik Blender, along with many treasured nieces and nephews.
After raising her children, Carlie returned to UVM to complete a BS in Sociology. She went on to work for many years in nonprofits, including Planned Parenthood in Burlington, the American Diabetes Association, and the Portland Saturday Market in Oregon. Carlie was mission-driven and a passionate advocate for personal choice and autonomy in all forms.
Anyone who knew Carlie knew she hated to fly, yet she traveled extensively for many years especially with her former partner, the late Robert Fulton. She lived in several places and fondly referred to her later years as her “nomadic period,” moving between Vermont, the Pacific Northwest and Nevada, where she spent years with her much-loved sister, Chloe.
Carlie had a riotous laugh and a deep sense of humor that she shared with her family and loved ones. Alongside her laughter, she also endured long periods of depression, something she spoke about publicly in recent years to help reduce stigma. She was honest about her struggle and its impact on those she loved, recognizing that depression is not something one simply wills away.
Carlie’s passions were many: her grandchildren, reproductive rights, politics, Bernie Sanders, daily walks with Chloe, NPR, “good” movies and books, international film festivals, Milk Duds, and deep belly laughs with her brothers and sister during Vermont summers.
The last four years of Carlie’s life were challenging as Alzheimer’s disease gradually affected her daily living and independence. Carlie strongly believed in death with dignity and a person’s right to choose how they wish to die. With courage and determination, she entered hospice through A Sacred Passing in Seattle on November 12 and died peacefully on November 15, with her family by her side.
A private interment of ashes will be held on August 8th at Mount Hope Cemetery in Northfield, Vermont. A Celebration of Life will follow in Waitfiled, Vermont for family and friends.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Carlie’s memory may be made to Vermont Public Radio. Carlie would be pleased.

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