Robert Lindner Goodrich

1935 - 2015

HANCOCK - Robert Lindner Goodrich, of Hancock, Washington, N.H. and Sanibel, Fla. died on Jun. 27 in Fort Myers, Fla. with his loving wife and daughters by his side. He was 79 years old.

He was born on Sep. 6, 1935 in McDonald, Ohio, the son of Emma Dorothy (Lindner) Goodrich and Howard Chester Goodrich. He graduated from McDonald High School in 1954 and the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1958, where he majored in physics. He attended graduate school at Harvard University, where he earned his Ph.D. in applied physics from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 1978.

He had a brilliant mind for mathematical concepts and applied this aptitude to a long and successful career, marked by his founding of Business Forecast Systems in 1986. He worked tirelessly to develop its pioneering and award winning statistical forecasting software Forecast Pro, now the leading platform for forecasters worldwide. He was a fellow of the International Institute of Forecasting and led many training seminars across the globe. He is the author of "Applied Statistical Forecasting."

His greatest passion was exploring the world through the lens of a camera. He was an accomplished photographer and together with his soul mate and wife, Nancy Nicholes Goodrich, he visited all 50 states, seven continents and over 75 countries. His favorite destination was Antarctica, which he visited four times to photograph penguins, sea lions, whales and icebergs. He also climbed numerous volcanoes, explored the farmlands of New Zealand and Australia, visited the Great Wall in China, photographed the abundant nature of the Galapagos Islands, took his family to bullfights in Mexico, attended performances at the world's leading opera houses, visited the pyramids in Egypt, observed street life in India, walked through the markets of Istanbul, photographed polar bears in the northern Arctic, and went on safaris in Kenya. He sailed the Danube, Yangzte, Nile and Amazon Rivers, transited the Panama and Suez Canals, rode trains from Montreal to Vancouver, Sydney to Perth, East Coast to West Coast on Amtrak and throughout Europe, drove from Maine to California and Seattle to Key West, and sailed around South America. He was also content to stay at home, watching birds and admiring his grandchildren from the comfort of his chair, always with a clipboard of puzzles on his lap.

Bob's rich life full of experiences around the world was often evident in his other life passion: cooking. He always returned from trips with new culinary ideas, eager to put his touch to them. His favorite chef was Julia Child and he excelled at making classic French dishes, including onion soup, cheese souflée, boeuf bourguignon, choucroute garnie, and numerous other recipes that delighted family and friends. His signature dish was an excellent Bolognaise spaghetti sauce, which never failed to please his children and grandchildren.

He was a master crossword puzzler, opera lover, proud grammarian, and reader of classic novels, particularly those by Anthony Trollope, James Joyce and John Updike. He fiercely loved his family, enjoying meals lingering with them over wine and wit.

In addition to his wife, Nancy, he is survived by four daughters, Lisa Goodrich, Sarah Darin, Anne Goodrich and Rebecca Sandidge; as well as seven grandchildren: Thomas and Elizabeth O'Neill, Caroline, Catherine, Matthew and Emily Darin and Noah Sandidge. He also leaves behind three sons-in-law, Robert Darin, Eamon O'Neill and Gregory Sandidge. His sister, Mary Lynn Parker predeceased him.

Burial will be in Hadley, Pennsylvania, where eight generations of the Goodrich family have been laid to rest. A memorial celebration of his life will be held on Sep. 6, his 80 birthday, at his summer home on Highland Lake in Washington, N.H.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Multiple System Atrophy Coalition, 9935-D Rea Road, #212, Charlotte, N.C. 28277.