Jack Gooldy

Jack “Diesel” Gooldy, 87, of Ellettsville passed away at IU Health-Bloomington Hospital on Sunday, January 26, 2014. Jack was born April 9, 1926 on the Gooldy farm, which consists of most of the Richland Manor subdivision in Ellettsville, to parents William Dean Gooldy and Katherine “Katie” (Hall) Gooldy. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Margie Evelyn “Peggy” (Elkins) Gooldy; brothers Don (Catherine) Gooldy, William (Frances) Gooldy, Layton (Frances) Gooldy, Dean (Beulah) Gooldy; and sisters Wanda (Bill) Neal and Opal (Olin) Keim. He is survived by children Mike (Lana Robinson Vierdag) Gooldy, Marilyn Gooldy, Teresa Barber, and Brad (Leslie) Gooldy; 7 grandchildren—Nick and Aaron White, Jacklyn and Corey Barber, Abigail and Jack Barton Gooldy, and Ashlee Wiott; and two great-grandchildren Ava and Cooper White. Jack graduated from Ellettsville High School in 1944. He worked for neighbor Ralph Ridge on his farm delivering milk and tending to the cows. He was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 2, 1945 and was a member of the infantry in AFHQ Company in the Philippines. He attained the rank of corporal and served as an auto mechanic. While in the Army, Jack was stationed at Biak island (now located in Indonesia), then returned to the Philippines. He was discharged in California in December 1946. He returned to the Gooldy farm in Ellettsville after his discharge. He worked with his brother Bill installing concrete drain tile farmers needed to keep their fields dry. He also worked at the Chevrolet plant in Indianapolis for two years; was employed at Chitwood Hardware in Ellettsville for two years; and worked for 5 years at the Dri-Gas LP company in town. He and Peggy were married on May 23, 1953 at the Gooldy farmhouse. In 1957, Jack was hired by his brother Layton, who owned Gooldy Electric, which is now Gooldy & Sons Inc. He served as an electrician and refrigeration technician at the Bloomington company for 12 years. Jack then joined Bower and Sons, also in Bloomington, and served as a plumbing and heating technician for nearly 20 years as a member of the Pipe Trades union. Just as he was about to retire, Jack hired on at Harrell Mechanical (HFI) in Bloomington and served as an HVAC specialist for nearly 6 years. He retired from full-time status but continued to work part-time for a number of years maintaining the company’s equipment and tools. Jack earned the nickname “Diesel” as a young man due to his fascination with diesel engines while on a trip to Texas with his brother Don. When he wasn’t working tirelessly to support his family, Jack enjoyed gardening, fishing and woodworking. He also enjoyed hunting from time to time and was a muzzleloader enthusiast, crafting one of the vintage firearms from parts. He also served as Ellettsville Little League president for a year in the early 1960s; was a longtime member of the local Odd Fellows Lodge; and was a member of Bloomington VFW Post 604 and the VFW-American Legion Color Guard for many years. Jack was widely respected for his hard work and dependability, and had an uncanny knack for diagnosing just about any mechanical or process problem and providing a solution to fix it. He was a devoted, unselfish father whose life was dedicated to his wife, children and extended family. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends, his acquaintances, and those he worked with. The family also extends gratitude to the staff at IU Health Hospice House for their dedicated, compassionate care during Jack’s final days. Funeral Service will be held at the Ellettsville First Baptist Church on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. with Pastor Mark Villanova officiating. The Monroe County Honor Guard will perform military honors prior to the service. Friends may visit with the family at the church from 1:00-4:00.

Jack Gooldy

April 9, 1926 - January 26, 2014