GORHAM – Tina Marie Ruel, age 66, passed away peacefully at her home with loved ones by her side on June 20, 2026, after her courageous fight against breast cancer.
Tina was born in Biddeford, Maine on June 16, 1960, to the late Paul and Lorraine (Talbot) Ruel.
Her teen years spent hiking with the Outing Club helped foster a lifelong love of nature and the outdoors. After graduating from Biddeford High School, Tina lived in Florida for a short time and then Colorado for six years. Her time in Fort Collins, CO helped shape the wonderful and strong person she became, and she often said that is where she found her sense of self. Tina was defined by her strong principles and sense of justice. After returning to Maine, she worked a variety of jobs while attending the University of Southern Maine, earning a bachelor’s degree in media studies, with concentrations in film and photography, a passion she pursued throughout her life. Tina changed professions and began a career as a caregiver. She excelled in providing compassionate care and companionship to the elderly for many years.
In 2004 she married Chris Dodd and created a loving home, sharing many wonderful years of travel, music, dance, cocktails, and spoiled cats. Monhegan Island, Maine held a special place in Tina's heart, she and Chris returned there often. She was a prolific correspondent weaving stories of everyday life or advocating for one of the many causes dear to her, often writing from one of her favorite Portland cafes.
Her passion for photography led to a small business of creating and selling handmade cards featuring images of her beloved Maine and locations from her travels with Chris, as well as her beautiful artistic creations. Through her work, these creations found their way to recipients around the world.
After her retirement from caregiving, she became more involved in her community by volunteering. Drawing on her background in video editing she began to work on video projects of special events for Gorham Public Access TV. She volunteered with the Scarborough Piping Plover monitoring program and fell in love with these tiny shorebirds. In 2022 she received the ECO Maine eco-excellence award for her initiative in helping to organize Gorham Cleans Up and her individual pursuit of keeping Gorham clean.
Tina is predeceased by her nephew Andrew Jerome Boucher who passed away in 2005.
Tina is survived by her loving husband and friend Chris Dodd of Gorham; her loving sister and brother-in-law Lisa and Jerome Boucher of Brownfield; her niece Desiree Boucher of Charlotte, North Carolina. Tina is also survived by her loving in-laws Joseph and Eileen Dodd; Laura Dodd; and Tara, Jay, Aidan and Devon & Rae Mumford.
Heartfelt thanks go out to the wonderful nurses at Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, without whom she would not have been able to maintain the quality of life she had until her passing.
Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, August 1st from 2 - 4 PM, concluding with an opportunity to share stories about Tina, at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road (Rt. 22), Buxton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Northern Light Home Care & Hospice PO Box 931 Bangor 04402, the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, PO Box 336, Westbrook, ME 04098 or the Friend Memorial Library, P.O. Box 57, Brooklin, ME 04616.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Poitras Funeral Homes, www.mainefuneral.com