Tamsen Drew Hood passed away in the early morning hours of Dec. 14 at her vacation home in St. Albans, Maine. Her partner and soulmate, Gerry Martin, was by her side. She was 65 years old.
Tamsen always displayed the cheer and optimism she was known for, even during a difficult and final battle with cancer. She loved life even in hard times and held on to it with enthusiasm to the end.
Tamsen was born on Oct. 5, 1960, in Salem, to Bruce Stedman Hood and Carolyn Jones Hood. She grew up living on Summer Street in Marblehead with her mother and brother, Billy. She attended Cushing Academy in Ashburnham and received her bachelor’s degree in forestry at Feather River Community College in Plumas County, California. For several years after that she lived in Incline Village by Lake Tahoe, happy to be surrounded by snow, mountains and nature.
Tamsen was famous in our family for her generosity. She always got carried away on Christmas, which she started shopping for — on the day after Christmas! Tamsen gave extraordinarily thoughtful, artistically wrapped gifts. She loved to cook and was masterful in the kitchen — and she cooked the world’s greatest Christmas roasts! We will forever miss her, especially on this holiday that she loved. She was a giver, and giving is what she enjoyed most. An avid gardener at home, Tamsen loved to care for plants. She was a cat maniac, devoted to her five adopted kitties, who were always close by her side.
She and Gerry shared a dream, to live in their cabin in Maine year-round, near a lake. Thanks to Gerry’s prodigious carpentry and practical skills, they made their dream come true. They loved being there together. They will always cherish that time.
Tamsen will be missed by so many she touched. Tamsen was a loving auntie and very, very proud of her many nieces and nephews. She was always positive. Even during the difficult last two years of cancer treatment, she remained cheerful, constantly making new friends. She will be remembered fondly for her laughter, generosity and her care for those who needed her. T
Tamsen left us much too soon. She’s gone to be with her brother Billy now, in heaven. Her parents and brother Billy predeceased her. She is survived by her beloved partner Gerry Martin, of St. Albans Maine; Gerry’s daughter Maddie Martin Schreiber of Rochester, New York; Tamsen’s brother Mark Hood of Cumberland, Rhode Island; her brother Chris Hood of Marblehead and sister Samantha Hood. Her surviving cousins include Bob Hood of Portsmouth, Rhode Island; Ted Hood of Newport, Rhode Island; Rick Hood of Amherst; Nancy MacLeod of Newport, Rhode IsIand; Charles Ricker of Marblehead; Bradford Ricker of Burbank, California; Pamela Farrar of Marblehead and Steven Ricker of Danvers. Nieces and nephews surviving include Matthew Hood, Hannah Clarke, Carly Hood, Logan Hood, Emma Hood, Emily Ricker, Owen Ricker, William Ricker, Sarah Ricker, Benjamin Ricker, Isabel Ricker, Evelyn Ricker, Stephen DeBay and Marisa DeBay.
A memorial of her life will be celebrated in 2026. To leave a message of kindness or to share a memory, please visit shoreynichols.com. Care has been provided by Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, Pittsfield, Maine.
If you wish to make a contribution in memory of Tamsen, please make a donation in her name to
the nonprofit Kitty Cat Café and Adoption Center (kittycatcafema.com/donate) in Peabody.
