Obituary of Charles S. Goodman

Charles S. Goodman Charles Sargent Goodman, 93, a resident of Bethany Village, died there peacefully on November 7, following a life well lived. Born April 11, 1926, to the late Floyd and Mildred (Sargent) Goodman in Indian Orchard, Charlie was a life-long resident of Wayne County. He and wife Edna, who predeceased him in 2016, were married in 1948 and built a home in 1957 in Cherry Ridge, where they resided until both moved to Bethany Village in 2014. A member of the Honesdale High School class of 1944, Charlie left school his senior year to join the U.S. Navy. He spent his 18th birthday sailing through the Panama Canal on the way to Hawaii as a seaman first class aboard the U.S.S. Knox, a transport ship headed to action in the South Pacific. Through the end of World War II and a promotion to third-class cockswain, Charlie received four battle stars marking his involvement in military action — first at the Battle of Saipan, followed by the Battles of Tinian, Leyte Gulf and Luzon. He was a proud and always modest Navy veteran, with a prodigious memory for the details of his service. On Veteran's Day 2001, Charlie was among a group of six men honored by "Operation Recognition," a program through which diplomas were given to honorably discharged veterans of World War II whose early entry into military service prevented them from graduating from Honesdale High School. Charlie worked for many years as a long-distance driver for Great Lakes Transport, M&G Convoy and later Ryder Systems – starting in 1950 loading and handling four-car automobile carriers and eventually wrestling ten-car carriers by the time he left that work in 1985. Following 35 consecutive years of safe driving commendations, he worked part-time for local companies transporting large equipment by truck. In retirement, Charlie and Edna enjoyed taking trips to Atlantic City and traveling across the country for weeks at a time, visiting friends and family in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arizona, touring sights and landmarks along the way. Not surprisingly, given his years behind the wheel, Charlie loved the open road and had a unique knack for remembering route numbers and directions in detail, no matter where in the state or country someone might be traveling. If you needed to get somewhere, Charlie knew how to do it. He sparked happiness with his smile and ready greeting wherever he went, and he enjoyed nothing more than meeting his many friends and acquaintances for an impromptu chat and a chance to catch up. In his later years, while still at home in Cherry Ridge, Charlie was a devoted and loving caregiver to Edna. He is survived by son Reed and spouse Joel of Sudbury, Massachusetts; son Dale and wife Jackie of Shawnee, Oklahoma; granddaughter Angela and three great-grandchildren of Florida and Oklahoma; and nephews Stephen Spangenberg and Mark Spangenberg and their families. He was predeceased by siblings Anna, Ronald and Joanne and granddaughter Mary Elizabeth. The family would like to thank the Hospice of the Sacred Heart for its unparalleled compassion, and express deepest gratitude to the staff and management of Bethany Village for their outstanding care and for making a comfortable home for Charlie. Over the course of more than five years, the special people of Bethany Village touched his heart and he theirs, with mutual affection, lots of laughs and the handling of ups and downs together. He will be missed by everyone who loved him dearly. Private burial and memorial services will be held at the family's convenience. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Charles Goodman to the Bethany Village Resident Fund, 150 Noble Lane, Bethany, PA 18431 or Hospice of the Sacred Heart, 600 Baltimore Drive, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702. Arrangements are attended by the Arthur A. Bryant Funeral Home 1228 Main Street Honesdale, Pa 18431 ###