Colonel William Garland Goodman, 80, United States Army, retired, passed away after receiving excellent care at Suncoast Hospice House – Brookside in Palm Harbor, Florida, on May 13, 2012. A memorial service will be held at the Palm Harbor White Chapel in Palm Harbor, Florida at 3 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1 pm to 3 pm. A burial with full military honors will occur at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Disabled American Veterans
DAV Memorial Program
PO Box 14301
Cincinnati, OH 45250
www.dav.org/donate

or

Suncoast Hospice Foundation
5771 Roosevelt Blvd.
Clearwater, FL 33760
Thehospicefoundation.org
                                                                                                                                                                 
Colonel Goodman was born on September 30, 1931, in Enterprise, Alabama. He was the eldest son of Lalar Sikes Goodman and Garland H. Goodman, both of whom preceded him in death. He was also predeceased by his brother, James Allen; his sister, Dorothy Goodman Striplin; and loving companion, Little Honey. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1953 where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, the Army ROTC program, and the National Society of Pershing Rifles. He graduated earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves.

William is survived by his loving wife, Patricia Ann Abraham (Farr) and four children: David Garland Goodman of Enterprise, AL; Patricia Goodman Glazier, and husband Bernard, of New Brockton, AL; Michael Allen Goodman, and wife, Yvonne, of Clinton, MO; and Tracy Reep Sewell, and husband, Frank, of Panama City Beach, FL; and daughter-in-law, Jan Whitehead Goodman, of Tallahassee, FL. As well as four children by marriage: Douglas Farr of Redondo Beach, CA; Cheri Farr Sehlke, and husband Jerome (J.J.), of Boca Raton, FL; Brenda Romano of West Palm Beach, FL; and Rhonda Bartholomay, of Taber, NY. William has twelve grandchildren: two especially devoted granddaughters, Tabitha Goodman Jowers and Angelique Garcia; and Melissa Hitt; Shane Martin; Douglas Farr, Jr.; Savanna, Christian, and Gabriella Sehlke; Matthew, Vincent and Rose Ann Romano; Timothy Bartholomay, Jr. and Stephen Glazier. He also had six great-grandchildren: Abigail Jowers, Lane Hitt, Rhema Martin, Angela Garcia, and twins, Antonio and Aleena Garcia. William is also survived by one aunt, Wanda Goodman Ward of Bradenton, FL; a brother-in-law, and card partner, George Abraham of Palm Harbor, FL; a sister-in-law, Ella Skoler of Palm Harbor, FL; and a devoted, beloved niece and wonderful friend, Dora (Dody) Abraham of Utica, NY and Palm Harbor, FL, who cared for him and helped him greatly and is loved deeply by Bill and his family.

William served in the 31st Infantry (Dixie) Division, Alabama National Guard from age 17, September 1948 through December 1950. He was ordered to active duty July 2, 1953, prior to the end of the Korean War. Colonel Goodman earned a regular Army Commission as a First Lieutenant in 1956. He served in eleven different locations in the United States: Fort Bliss, TX (on four separate occasions); Savannah River Defense Area, SC; Fort Still, OK; Tinker Air Force Base, OK; Richards-GeBaur Air Force Base, MO; Fort Leavenworth, KS; Syracuse University, NY; Fort Monroe, VA; Arlington, VA; Newport, RI (United States Naval War College); and on the Army General Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, DC. In addition, he served 6.5 years overseas: in Germany, with the 4th Infantry Division and the 69th Artillery Group as a Hawk Missile Battalion Commander (1954-1956) and Acting Group Commander (1969-1970); in Korea in 1961-62 with the 1st Cavalry Division on the DMZ and with the United Nations Military Armistice Commission with duties in Seoul and Panmunjom; and in Vietnam from 1970-71 as an advisor to the Republic of Vietnam Ministry of National Defense.

Colonel Goodman earned two Legion of Merit awards, a Bronze Star (Vietnam), two Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, two National Defense Service Medals, the Army WWII Occupation Medal (Germany), Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, U.S. Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Meritorious Unit Citation, Naval Presidential Unit Citation, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and the Cold Wary Victory Medal under consideration by Congress.

Colonel Goodman reached the top level of military education, graduating from the Artillery Career Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the United States Naval War College, and numerous other specialty schools. He earned a Master of Business Administration Degree from Syracuse University in 1966. After retiring from the Pentagon, Washington DC, on November 30, 1974, William returned to Enterprise, AL for 18 months before starting a successful second career as a Florida Realtor and investor with duties in Panama City Beach, Jupiter, Rivera Beach (Singer Island), West Palm Beach, Port Pierce, Indian Town, Palm Beach Gardens, and Palm Harbor, FL. He was responsible for putting more than 5,000 families in new residential homes during his realtor career.

In 1989 he married his wife Patricia in Jupiter, FL, and both held careers in real estate until Colonel Goodman retired a second time in 1994. In 1999, he and Patricia both retired in Palm Harbor, FL. William was a member of the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Military Officer’s Association of America, the National Association of Uniformed Services, and the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars. Above all he was a student, soldier, patriot, husband and father.

Deepest gratitude is expressed to Dr. Gary Goldstein and his staff for their compassion, care and love towards a patient who also loved him as family.

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (II Timothy, 4: 6-8)