Tammy Goss

Tammy Goss, age 64, of Linebrook Road, Ipswich, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 20, 2021  at Lahey Hospital, Burlington, after a long and brave struggle with breast cancer.

She is survived by her husband, Phil Goss; daughters, Laura and Jenny; mother, Janet Mathews; brother, Don Saucier; and grandchildren, Morgan and Clark.

Tammy was born in Lafayette, Louisiana on August 22, 1957. Tammy was a force of life with so many natural gifts, talents and creativity, including oil painting, home decorating, cooking, and home projects. Tammy was also a ‘treasure hunter’ at heart.

While the majority of her husband Phil’s career was based in Houston, Texas, their family was fortunate to experience a number of overseas assignments together, to include Thailand, Egypt, Norway (their favorite country assignment) and Libya. Tammy made every house a home no matter the location. She always adapted and embraced the adventure of living in a new place and making new friends.

Tammy loved her house in Ipswich. It was the first home she and Phil designed and built together. She loved growing flowers and vegetables in her garden, watching the birds, feeding peanuts to the chipmunks and living in New England, even in winter.

Another passion was Tammy’s research of Elizabeth How. The project became therapy for her first round of breast cancer in 2008 – helping her navigate through that difficult time. After much amateur research, Tammy discovered that their property was located on the original 1658 homesite of James and Elizabeth How. Elizabeth How was amongst the first group of women to be accused of witchcraft, persecuted and hung during the Salem witch trials of 1692. After two years of effort, Tammy, along with her best friend, discovered the chimney base remains from the original How homesite.  All of Tammy’s research and work culminated into a presentation she made to the Topsfield Historical Society.

As mentioned previously, one of Tammy’s passions was oil painting. Tammy received no formal education in art but had a natural gift.  She was a member of the Rockport Art Association and participated in various workshops. Tammy also entered paintings at the Topsfield Fair over several years, winning multiple awards.

Tammy touched the hearts of so many people she encountered. Whether she was chatting with an old age pensioner on the bus in England, a clerk at Market Basket or a visiting corporate executive overseas, Tammy had a natural charm and genuineness about her that put most people at ease.

Tammy was an amazing wife, Mom and Nana. She adored her two daughters; the three of them had a very strong relationship, chatting together almost daily about any subject. She dearly loved her grandchildren, and always provided a magical experience for their visit to Nana and Grandad’s house.

A celebration of her life was held on Tuesday, December 28 at the Morris Funeral Home in Ipswich. Family and friends attended this personal service to honor her life and share heartwarming stories and memories. Memorial contributions in Tammy’s name may be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation – www.bcrf.org. To leave a condolence, please visit the Morris Funeral Home website –www.MorrisFH.com.