Gary Woodrow GOOD

1948 - 2023

Gary Woodrow Good was born on June 19, 1948, in San Angelo, Texas, to Woodrow and Veita Good. He passed away peacefully on January 11, 2023, at St. Mary's hospice in Duluth, Minnesota, just two weeks after he and his wife had celebrated their New Year's Eve fiftieth wedding anniversary

As a child, Gary grew up in a family that managed and built drive-in theaters, nourishing his passion for film trivia. His father and uncle managed the Palace Theater and Mustang Drive-In in Grapevine Texas which has since become The Palace Arts Center. They also built and owned the 77 Drive-In in Cameron, Texas.

Gary's family lived in Texas, New Mexico, and Utah, before settling in Colorado. Having to change schools often, Gary was still able to participate in football and wrestling where he excelled. When the family moved to Colorado, his father helped open the chain of EZ Way Markets that later became 7-11 stores owned by Southland Corporation. As a seventeen-year-old high school student, he became the youngest Southland Corporation store manager in the Denver area.

While working with his father, Gary met his future wife, Beth. After two weeks of dating, Gary proposed to her, but she coyly declined. In the third week, she accepted his persistent pleas, and they were married not long afterward.

As an entrepreneur, Gary established Good Life Enterprise, a corporation that, at the time, owned the second-largest laundromat-dry cleaning establishment in the Denver metro area. He also established his inventory firm. When his family moved to the Minneapolis area, Gary teamed up with another new corporation, Washington Inventory Services. After several transfers around the country for the company, Gary and his family landed in Spokane where he oversaw its management in Washington and the surrounding states. Gary and his wife lived there for years before retiring to their lake home in Gordon, Wisconsin.

No matter what trials he faced in life, Gary always treated others with compassion and respect and was a steady source of calm and strength for others. His sense of humor was disarming, his knowledge of television and film trivia was unmatched, and his love and support for his family were forever present.

He is survived by his wife Beth (Bowden), daughter Jaime Horigan (Brian), son Christopher Good, grandchildren Melia, Haley, Tyler, Riley, and Aidan, two great-grandchildren, his sister Sandra Murphy (Marvin) and special nieces, colleagues and relatives. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Woodrow and Veita Good

There will be a celebration of Gary's life this summer at a place and time to be announced. Downs Funeral Home, 1617 N. 19th Street, Superior, WI, is assisting the family with arrangements. To sign the online guest book or send condolences, visit www.downsfh.com