Richard Goodwin

Longtime resident and attorney Dick Goodwin (aged 95) passed away December 28th at the Pacific Care Center in Hoquiam. Dick was a quiet, well-dressed, dignified, and very independent man who was known for his very dry/droll sense of humor. Dick was also known for his affinity for small sports cars especially his Fiats and Mazda Miatas. Few people can talk about Dick though, without mentioning the card game of Bridge as Dick had a singular passion and was a life-long duplicate Bridge player. Dick played regularly in a local Bridge club, attended regional tournaments, and eventually attained the Life Master level of Bridge achievement.

Dick was born in Seattle to Ed and Fay Goodwin in March of 1928. Dick’s early life was in Seattle as Dick’s father worked as the sales manager for the William O. McKay Lincoln car dealership. He attended Coe Elementary School while in Seattle. During the depression, the family relocated to the small hamlet of Sekiu along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In Sekiu Dick’s father opened a hardware store, where Dick helped at the store and mucked-out fishing boats to earn extra money. Dick attended the Clallam Bay School. Unable to obtain adequate stock due to the war, the family closed the store and relocated to Chehalis, WA. where his father purchased a small farm. Here, Dick earned money by selling chicken eggs and delivering for a local dairy. In Chehalis he attended Chehalis High School where he graduated in 1945. Dick enrolled at the University of Washington in 1946 where he completed three semesters. He chose to leave school at this time and joined the US Navy for two years at Petuxent River, MD. Dick attained the rank of Yeoman Third Class before being Honorably discharged in 1948. Upon returning home, Dick re-enrolled at the UW and completed a BA in business administration. While attending the UW Dick joined the Psi Upsilon Fraternity. Also, at this time, Dick met and then married his love Margaret (Peggy) Bain in 1953. Dick and Peggy began their married life together in Chehalis where Dick began work for the JC Penney Company. Continuing with Penney’s, the couple moved to Aberdeen, then to Shelton, and finally ended in Lynden, WA. in 1958. After arriving in Lynden their daughter Georgia was born in 1959 and son Grant in 1961. In the early 60’s Dick decided upon a different career path, left JC. Penney, and enrolled in law school at the University of Washington. The family made their home in university housing. After graduating from law school and passing the Washington State Bar, Dick joined the law firm of Ernest Ingram and Ted Zelasko to form Ingram, Zelasko, and Goodwin in 1966, where he spent his entire career as an attorney, retiring in 2012.

The Goodwin’s marriage ended in the early 80’s and Dick learned how to be single for a few years, even learning how to cook! Dick later met and married Margery (Marg) Zimmerman in 1988. Dick and Marg made their home on Olympic St. in Aberdeen and enjoyed spending time with family and traveling visiting Spain, Morocco, Greece, Mexico, Thailand, and Hawaii. Always many pictures to share upon their return.

Dick was a true Harborite, he never had any desire to live anyplace else. He very much loved his last home on Olympic St. as he single-handedly “terraced” the entire embankment in front of the house planting many trees from seedlings which are now large. Besides practicing law, Dick was active in many different civic organizations including the local Kiwanis. Dick also supported the local Salvation Army and the Historic Seaport as a volunteer and board member. He loved performances at the Bishop Center and the local Driftwood Playhouse. Dick was an avid reader, he preferred Robert Ludlum books, and served on the Timberland Library board. Being a child of the depression, Dick was instilled with the importance of independence, and he learned many hand-me-down skills. Consequently, Dick was frugal, rarely threw anything away, and he always turned unused lights off. In the 1950’s Dick helped build the family cabin at Offutt Lake near Tenino, WA., built a large deck on the home in Aberdeen, and re-roofed and added a large upper story to the family’s garage. Always keeping the farm of this youth close to his heart, Dick turned the home’s greenhouse into a chicken coop raising Rhode Island Red’s and selling the eggs!

In his later years, Dick remained physically active mowing his own lawn well into his 80’s. He liked the stability of a routine, even after retiring from his law practice in 2012, Dick was allowed to maintain an office space at IZG where he oft indulged in the coffee-room sweets. Dick loved large jigsaw puzzles, red wine, and diet Pepsi. He fed the birds and the local black-tail deer in his yard to near tameness.

Dick is preceded in death by his wife Marg. He is survived by his only sister Joan Hendricks of Bothell, WA., his two children daughter Georgia (Harold) Lovell of Aberdeen, WA., son Grant of Bainbridge, Is. WA., grandson Michael Solberg of Los Angeles, CA., stepson Steven (Heather) Zimmerman of Olympia, WA., stepdaughter Lori (John) Chrusielski of Spanaway, WA. step grandsons Jacob, Jordan, and Al Zimmerman all of Olympia, WA., step-grandsons Jesse and Shaun Rhoden of Olympia, and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations in his honor be made to the Salvation Army, Timberland Regional Library, Grays Harbor Historic Seaport, the Alzheimer’s Association, or to the charity of your choice. Fern Hill Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Burial to be at the pioneer cemetery in Powell Butte, OR. where Dick’s maternal family settled in the early 1900’s. Memorial services to be scheduled for a later date. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Goodwin, please visit our flower store.