Lorel M Goodwin

On July 9, 2021, Lorel M. Goodwin (Goodie), husband, dad, and our hero, at almost 92 years young, joined his parents and all but one of his 9 brothers and sisters in heaven. He was the kindest man and a great example to his family and to all those who knew him. He loved his wife, their four sons, their families, and his grandkids / great grandkids unconditionally. He loved attending their games and activities and was present at pretty much all of them for as long as he was physically able to attend – rain or shine, snow or sleet, wind or hail.

He was born November 16, 1929, to Lewis and Thisbe Hanks Goodwin. He was raised in Grover, Wayne County, Utah. He attended Wayne High in Bicknell, Utah where he was active in baseball, basketball, and track and field. After high school, he went on to Snow College where he participated in those sports, and where he also played football. Throughout his life he played softball and basketball in the Metro League, and he played 3rd base for the Tachi Air Force baseball team in Japan.

After attending Snow College, he enlisted in the Air Force and served from 1950-1954. He served two years stateside and two years in Japan assigned to the 22nd Troop Carrier Squad during the Korean War. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the ROK Presidential Unit Citation Emblem, the Korean Service Medal, the UN Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.

After returning home from the war, he met Marilyn Sharples and they dated for two years and married in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised four boys, Larry, Chet, Paul, and Reed. For 20+ years he coached baseball and basketball in the Bountiful area. Hundreds of kids played for him on his teams. He loved coaching and the kids that played for him, and they loved him. He won several championships, even got himself tossed out of a few games.

He worked for Sperry Univac / Unisys for 32 years and retired in 1989. In his retirement years, he built a cabin, played a lot of golf, and spent time running to grandkids games and events. He outlived most of his golf buddies and missed being able to play golf these last couple of years.

He is survived by his wife of 60+ years Marilyn, their children Larry (Christine), Chet (Carrie), Paul, and Reed (Jean), his brother David, and 20+ grandkids / great grandkids. He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Ray, Victor, Walter, Glen, Bryce, Iris, Betty, and Gladys Beth.

The family would like to thank the care, love, and attention he received the last few years from Raelynn, Shauna, and Selene and many others at Rocky Mountain Hospice. He loved seeing you all and thoroughly enjoyed your care and company. His sense of humor was evident to the very end.

We cherish the countless memories we had the privilege of sharing with him, and his passing has left a huge hole in our hearts. He positively impacted everyone who knew him. If the universe is just, he’s strolling down a lush green fairway with a couple of his brothers, putting for a chance at birdie. Godspeed dad / poppy – we’ll catch you on the back 9!

There will be a graveside service on Tuesday, July 13, at 10:30 a.m. at the Bountiful City Cemetery, 2224 South 200 West, for those wishing to pay their respects. There will be limited seating so feel free to bring a chair to sit in.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Bountiful Veterans Park https://bountifulveteranspark.org/, where Lorel and other veterans are recognized for their service to our country.