Obituary

This won’t be a stand obituary with just names, dates, and places. This is a story about a man that was a friend, father, grandfather, husband, and companion. Donald Alexander Goode was born on October 19, 1929 at Bayshore, Long Island, New York; to the parents of Ray Alexander (mother) and Walter Al Goode (father). He had one sibling, a younger brother, William Goode.

We have all heard the stories that he’s told us about his younger years. He would hang his brother out of the window by his ankles and how they would go steal the dock men’s clothes. Stories none of us will ever forget. These are the ones I have been told and he told them with so much laughter you could never forget.

He once told me that if he kept this life of “crime” that he would have gone down a bad road. So instead of going down that road he enlisted in the United States Army in December 1949, just after he turned 20 years old. The army gave him a sense of belong and whipped him into shape. He went to a vocational school while enlisted and learned how to be a mechanic. He once told me this was the best program that he got into and it changed his life. He took an honorable discharge from the army in 1952 at Camp Polk, Louisiana at the rank of Corporal. From there he traveled around the United States and ended up, of all places, Washington State.

While in Washington he got a job and met a guy name Walt Dayton. One random day Walt brought him home to meet his daughters, Judith and Sally. That was the year of 1954. He ended up falling for Judith and they courted for several years. They both ended up driving off to Idaho and eloped in Coeur d’Alene on June 28, 1958.

Melinda Elaine Goode (aka Rash/Blab) was born May 18, 1959 the first of three kids for him and Judy. Catherine Rae Goode (aka Smiley) was born September 2, 1960 and then she was followed by her younger brother Daniel Scott Goode (aka the Great Pick) November 28, 1961.
Don loved being a father to all his kids and had many stories of them. How Mindy got stuck under the table and every time she stood up she would hit her head and couldn’t figure out how to get out from under there. How Dan ate a cigarette as punishment for getting caught smoking.

There were many more stories and I have learned a lot about my mother and her siblings from this man. He would tell them to me and we would laugh so hard we would cry. He gave them all nicknames to and they became known by them. He in turn gave himself some nicknames as well, ‘ol Don Goode-Dog, Joe Figleo, and Good-e.

Don worked for Wilder Construction for over 40 years. He finally retired at the age of 75 but he still went in from time to time to see the guys he worked with and to check out the new crop of workers and see if they were up to snuff. Wilder ended up cutting off his torch and mounting it to a plaque that he was awarded at his retirement party.

He stayed busy after retirement. He decided to build a new house for his loving wife. This time he went with a contractor but he dug out the basement area by himself! He was a social butterfly and would go down to the coffee stand each morning to get his daily coffee. Some mornings he would go see his daughter, Mindy, for coffee and breakfast. He enjoyed family gatherings where he would tell his stories.

In the last few years he reconnected with his nephews, Owen and Taly. He attended his granddaughter’s wedding and got to spend lots of time with his other grandkids Brandon, Derek and Taylor. He spent lots of time with us before retirement but more after. We have fond memories of our grandfather, the tricks he would play on us in the old house, sayings he would teach Brandon and then he would repeat them in public places like restaurants, and when he would take us places or buy us little things like gum.

Sadly Don passed away on January 16, 2017 after suffering a stroke and heart attack. There will be a celebration of his life will be held on January 27, 2017 at Fox Hall, 3985 Bennett Dr. Bellingham, WA 98225 at 1 PM. Please come share your memories, stories, interactions with us, his family and friends. In lieu of flowers we ask that you donate to the Alzheimer Society of Washington