John Robert Goodwin

Enfield, NH – John Robert Goodwin died peacefully on March 3, 2012 at The Lebanon Center of Genesis Healthcare. He was 93 years old.

John was born on May 3, 1918, the son of Dr. Bert Henry Goodwin and Clara Louise (Cross) Goodwin of Enfield where he lived his entire life. After graduating from Enfield High School, Class of 1936, John attended the University of New Hampshire where he majored in Industrial Arts. He married Phyllis B. Moody on June 21, 1943 in Enfield, and with Phyllis raised three daughters – Judith, Joan and Candace. With his wife and family, John treasured time together boating on Lake Mascoma and camping throughout New England. Always in pursuit of the next adventure, he and Phyllis set out on several cross country journeys later in their lives together.

John owned and operated Goodwin's Boats and Motors on Mascoma Lake, which also served as the center for the Mascoma Ski Club and helped pioneer the sport of waterskiing in the Upper Valley. John sold the marina in 1960 and eventually purchased and operated the distributorship of Airwick Vermont-New Hampshire until his retirement in the late 1980s.

As an active member of Community Lutheran Church of Enfield, John served as president of the congregation and sang in the choir. His civic engagements included membership in the Free and Accepted Masonic Lodge of Enfield, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Enfield Historical Society where he was a regular volunteer at Lockhaven School. John made numerous contributions to the book, Enfield New Hampshire, 1761 – 2000, including an article on the history of transportation on Mascoma Lake.

As young man, John began building boats with his father, and then developed a deep passion for wood turning, furniture making and clock design. He could be found at his lathe turning bowls and candlesticks well past his 90th birthday.

John was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Phyllis Barbara (Moody) Goodwin, his second wife Evelyn Lyle (Williams) Goodwin, and his sister Barbara Goodwin Porcello.

He is survived by his beloved sister Helen E. Goodwin of Lebanon, NH, with whom he shared a home from 2000 to 2011. He is also survived by his daughters and their spouses Judith (Goodwin) and Richard Schneider who live aboard their sailboat, Joan (Goodwin) and Stephen Tarleton of Bridgewater, VT and Candace Goodwin and Rick Blauvelt of Carbondale, Colorado; His grandchildren: Katherine (Schneider) Hokunson, Gwendolyn (Schneider) Yiznitsky, Melissa (Tarleton) Walker, Mitchell Tarleton, Stephen S. Tarleton, and Kathleen (Blauvelt) Kime, 14 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren, as well as nephews Robert Porcello, Joseph Porcello and John Porcello and their families from the Syracuse, NY area.

Friends may call at the Knight Funeral Home in White River Jct., VT on Friday March 16, from 6-8PM. A funeral service will be held on Saturday March 17, 2PM at the Enfield Community Lutheran Church, Enfield, NH. Burial will take place in the Oak Grove Cemetery in the Spring. Donations in John's name may be sent to: Community Lutheran Church of Enfield, PO Box 450, Enfield, NH 03748 or Enfield Historical Society, PO Box 612, Enfield, NH 03748