WINTHROP - Amanda Cheree Garwood, 19, of Winthrop died in Augusta on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008. She was born in Augusta on Dec. 17, 1988, the daughter of Steven Garwood and Michele (Blair, Garwood) Lumbert. Amanda was a 2007 graduate of Winthrop High School, where she was an exceptional student and athlete. She excelled in basketball and soccer, earning many personal awards while helping the Winthrop Rambler girls achieve a winning record year after year and distinguishing the Ramblers as a fiercely competitive team. Although competitive by nature, she was also sincerely compassionate, cheerful and friendly. Her closest friends affectionately nicknamed her, 'Moosy G,' and Amanda will be remembered by them as 'a fighter, someone who didn't hold back. She was bright, beautiful, independent and driven. She could make anyone smile, brighten any room with her laugh and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She loved the simple things in life: Rocky Road ice cream, lying in the sun, her dog Moxie, junk food, the Celtics, spending time with the people she loved and a 'good steak.' Amanda was enrolled in Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Conn., where she was pursuing a degree in radiology and working at a veterans' hospital as part of the school curriculum. In addition, Amanda was working parttime providing assisted-living care to a disabled gentleman in the Hamden area. Amanda's mother noticed that a real turning point for Amanda was when she started caring for this disabled gentleman; it made such a big difference in her life. Amanda also confided in her father that she found this line of work very rewarding and was contemplating volunteering to work with underprivileged children in a foreign country before continuing her education in medical school. Amanda is survived by her parents, Steven Garwood, of Winthrop, and Michele and Greg Lumbert, of Pittston; her paternal grandparents, Don and Barbara Watkins, of Sullivan; her maternal grandparents, Willis and Narcissa Blair, of Kamuela, Hawaii; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, stepbrothers, stepsister and friends. Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, at Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta. A celebration of Amanda's life will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at St. Francis Xavier Church, Route 133, Winthrop, with the Rev. Joseph Browne officiating. Interment will follow in Lakeview Cemetery, Narrows Pond Road, Winthrop, immediately followed by a reception at the St. Francis Parish Hall. Contributions in Amanda's memory may be made to United Cerebral Palsy, 1660 L St., NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036; Feed The Children, P.O. Box 36, Oklahoma City, OK 73101-0036; or the Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Center, P.O. Box 417, Winthrop, ME 04364.