Robert Lee Goodman

Mr. Robert Lee Goodman, age 82, rural Willow Lake died in a Sioux Falls hospital on Friday afternoon, November 28, 2008.

Funeral services will be Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 11AM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with the Reverend Richard Poppen officiating.  Burial will follow in the veterans section of Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown with full military honors being provided by the American Legion Codington Post #17 of Watertown.  Casketbearers will be Steve & Daniel Kannegieter, Doug Harrington & Mark Lemerond.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 4-6PM at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark and 1 hour prior to services Thursday at the Church.

He was born on January 20, 1926 at Henry, SD, the son of Henry 'Hank' and Marie (Redmond) Goodman.  He attended school at Henry and then country school east of Watertown. In 1944 he graduated from Watertown High School.  After graduating from high school he was drafted into the United States Armed Forces, serving his country in the Navy from June of 1944 until February of 1946, spending most of his time in the South Pacific. Upon his discharge he returned to Watertown first working at Fenn's Ice Cream, then Coca Cola Bottling and later opening and operating Vet's Garage in Watertown. He also operated various other service stations in Watertown.

In 1947 he married Cecilia Fox at Kranzburg, SD.  To this union two daughters were born, Colleen and Roxanne 'Roxy'.  The couple later divorced and he was united in marriage to Nola Kannegieter and they moved to Circle, MT and then later to Forsyth, MT where two more daughters were born of this union, Karmalee and Gentrie.

While living in Montana for over 30 years, he worked at a ranch and then began his employment with the Peabody Coal Mine at Colstrip, MT, retiring in 1987.  At that time he opened and operated Thunderbird Metal as a mechanic and welder.  In 2005 the couple moved to a farm west of Willow Lake.

His fondness of the outdoors led him on an annual elk hunt in Montana, various area threshing bees and tractor pulls.  He enjoyed refurbishing old tractors, especially Allis Chalmers and raising and riding Appaloosa horses.  Lee also enjoyed playing cards and dancing.

Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife Nola of Willow Lake, daughters, Colleen (Les) Forkel and Roxanne 'Roxy' Hilgenberg both of Ipswich, SD and Karmalee Young of Willow Lake and Gentrie (Mark) Lemerond of Lake Crystal, MN; 3 grandchildren, Sydney Lemerond, Stephanie Young and Hailey Lemerond; siblings, Richard Goodman of Beaver Creek, OH, Shirley Brandriet and Lois (Ralph) Bateman all of Watertown and an aunt, Ruth McGillivary of Watertown.

Preceding him in death were his parents. Henry Goodman and Marie Goodman VanSickle, a brother, Ellis J. Goodman, son-in-law, Steve Hilgenberg, brother-in-law, Carroll Brandriet and sister-in-law, Maurine Goodman.

Arrangements are announced by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where you can send an on-line condolence at www.furnessfuneralhome.com