Obituary of Edwin Harrison Goodridge

EDWIN H. [TED] GOODRIDGE, JR. TED WAS 88 WHEN HE PASSED FROM THIS LIFE ON JANUARY 29, 2018. HE WAS BORN IN HARTFORD CT. , BUT LIVED HIS EARLY YEARS IN BRISTOL, CT. HIS RENOWNED PARENTS WERE ED AND ALICE GOODRIDGE AND BROTHER JACK. ED WAS THE 2ND BEST ATHLETE IN THE BRISTOL ANNALS AND TED TRIED TO EMULATE HIM AND WAS A GOOD BUT NOT GREAT ATHLETE AT BRISTOL HIGH SCHOOL. TED ATTENDED GENERAL MOTORS INSTITUTE IN FLINT MICHIGAN AS A CO-OP STUDENT WITH NEW DEPARTURE. HE STARTED AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER BUT SOON FOUND OUT HE COULD NOT SCREW IN A NAIL. HE SWITCHED TO BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND GRADUATED AS A ROBOT, A NATIONAL HONORARY SOCIETY, WITH ONLY 6 FROM HIS CLASS. WHILE THERE HE WROTE THE OFFICIAL CLASS SONG "DOWN BESIDES FLINT RIVERS WATERS" AND ALSO WON A CONTEST FOR THE COLLEGE MASCOT, A FIERCE BULLDOG. HE WAS EDITOR OF THE COLLEGE NEWSPAPER, COMMUNICATION CHAIRMAN, AND PRESIDENT OF HIS FRATERNITY. DURING HIS WORKING YEARS HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BRISTOL JAYCEES, THE MILWAUKEE JAYCEES (WHERE HE STARTED THE FIRST LITTLE LEAGUE IN MILWAUKEE), AND PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON PARKWAY LIONS CLUB. WHILE ATTENDING HIS 50TH CLASS REUNION - NOW KETTERING UNIVERSITY - HE WON THE CIVIL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. DURING HIS 60TH CLASS REUNION HE WAS ASKED TO WRITE UP HIS SONG AND GMI BULLDOG INFORMATION FOR THE SCHOOL ARCHIVES. TED STARTED AS A SALES ENGINEER WITH NEW DEPARTURE IN THE BRISTOL ZONE BUT MOVED TO THE MILWAUKEE ZONE SOON AFTER. WHILE THERE HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PLACING NEW DEPARTURE BALL BEARINGS IN JOHN DEERE GRAIN DRILLS WHICH WAS A FIRST FOR NEW DEPARTURE IN A DIRTY ENVIRONMENT. PROMOTIONS AS ZONE MANAGER TO THE BOSTON AND EASTERN COMBINED ZONES SOON FOLLOWED. HIS LAST ASSIGNMENT WAS IN CHICAGO AS REGIONAL SALES MANAGER. HE WAS THEN ASKED TO CLOSE THE $350 MILLION INDUSTRIAL PORTION OF NEW DEPARTURE'S BUSINESS AT GM'S FINANCIAL DECISION. AFTER THIS, TED LEFT THE COMPANY AND FORMED HIS OWN MANUFACTURING REP COMPANY (DUPLEX DUO) IN CHICAGO, THEN TUCSON, WHICH WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FOR 10 YEARS UNTIL HE RETIRED IN 1985. IN TUCSON, TED WAS PAST SECRETARY AND CHAIRMAN OF FOOTHILLS FORUM, BOARD MEMBER OF MIDTOWN SERTOMA, PAST CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER OF RINCON CHURCH FRIENDS OF MUSIC. HE SANG IN THE CHURCH CHOIR FOR 18 YEARS AND WAS AN ACTIVE BASS IN THE BUENA VISTA BARBERSHOP CHORUS IN THE COLORADO SUMMER VACATION LOCATION. DURING HIS CAREER, TED LOST 4 WIVES TO STROKE, CANCER AND DIVORCE. HOWEVER, IN 1995, HE FOUND HIS LONG LASTING LIFETIME PARTNER LUCILLE AND THIS HAS LASTED 22+ YEARS. TED SAYS ALTHOUGH WE CONTINUE TO CHANGE WITH AGE, LOVE IS NOT A MATTER OF YEARS - BUT MAKING THE YEARS COUNT. THEY TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY IN A MOTOR HOME, ON SHIPS AND CAR TRIPS TO VISIT FAMILY, AND SAW THE COUNTRY AND WORLD. IN ADDITION TO LUCILLE, TED ALSO LEAVES 2 DAUGHTERS, ALISON BRULE (BILL) AND ABBE POLINE (MIKE), AND 4 SONS, GARY LUDWIG, DALE LUDWIG, WIN GOODRIDGE (ALISON), AND BEN GOODRIDGE, PLUS 6 GRANDCHILDREN (STEPHANIE SUTTERLIN, KEVIN PECK, HARRISON & ALEX GOODRIDGE, NICK POLINE, ADELA GOODRIDGE) AND 3 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN (KYLE PECK, KEVIN & KAREN SUTTERLIN) WITH WHOM HE WAS VERY CLOSE. PLUS, 2 STEP CHILDREN (RAYMOND HABECK (KAREN), DIANA HILT (GERALD)), 3 STEP GRANDCHILDREN (CHRISTOPER HILT, JOELLE DAVIS, SHAWNA ALCORN (MIKE)), AND 5 STEP GREAT GRANDCHILDREN (SARAH FLYNN, ANNA & CLAIRE & MAGGIE DAVIS, AND ZIVA ALCORN). A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT RINCON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AT 122 NORTH CRAYCROFT ROAD IN TUCSON (NEAR CORNER OF CRAYCROFT AND BROADWAY) ON MARCH 30TH, 2018 AT 1PM. DONATIONS IN REMEMBRANCE OF TED SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MIDTOWN SERTOMA OF TUCSON ARIZONA AT PO BOX 57643, TUCSON, AZ 85732 OR THE RINCON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH MUSIC DEPARTMENT AT 122 NORTH CRAYCROFT ROAD, TUCSON, AZ 85711.