Obituary: Caren Öberg Gomes, 1970 - 2026

Some souls seem to belong more to the sea and the stars than to the earth. Caren Öberg Gomes was one of them. She was a girl descended from the Pleiades, with salt in her soul, adventure in her heart and a spirit that could never be confined. She chased waves, found heart-shaped treasures wherever she walked and reminded us that the universe speaks through beauty, love and quiet moments of wonder.

Caren was loved by many, but by none more than the family she leaves behind: her sweet daughter Emmae, who carries sunshine in her pocket; her son Axel, who can warm an entire room with his smile; her husband Emerson, who was her steadfast companion; her brother Chris and his partner, Elise, who were her rock; her father Tom and her mother Jane. Caren showed the world how proud she was to be their daughter through her everyday love for life and her commitment to always living it to the fullest. She is also deeply missed by her many friends on every continent and in every place imaginable.

Caren joined this earthly realm March 14, 1970 in Middletown, N.Y. She was welcomed by her parents Jane and Tom, and her brother Chris. She and Chris spent their childhood in Syracuse, N.Y. with family trips to the shore.

When visiting her uncle in Montauk, N.Y., she met the ocean, and so her mermaid self was born. She would continue to follow the ocean’s call for much of her life. Yet the ocean was not the only force that spoke to her; her connection to the earth was equally profound.

She attended Niagara and Syracuse universities, graduating with a degree in comparative religions.

After college, she lived in Aspen, Colo., where she taught snowboarding. She traveled, surfed and shared her light wherever she went.

Eventually, she found her way to Nantucket, where she deepened her passions for both surfing and the natural world. She founded Linnea Gardens, transforming her love of the earth into beauty for all to enjoy.

Her knowledge and passion found their perfect expression as the horticulture teacher at the Nantucket Lighthouse School, where she nurtured not only gardens but young hearts and curious minds. She treasured her beloved students.

Of it all, Caren’s own children were her true life’s work. She loved them fiercely. She instilled in them life’s most important lessons. She taught them that a life well lived is measured not only by love, beauty and kindness, but also by the quiet strength of tenacity, the resilience of grit and the unwavering courage to persevere through life’s most difficult tides.

Caren was a wave that could not be held back. She could not be tamed, not even by debilitating illness. Caren loved fully, gave to others from the deepest part of her soul and shone fearlessly and relentlessly. She is now free to dance between the rays of our remembrances. Her grace will always be with us.

Caren passed away Tuesday, June 9, 2026. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Unitarian Meeting House on Orange Street, followed by a reception from noon to 3 p.m. at Cisco Brewers.