Lt. Col. Frank M. Gooch

Lt. Col. Frank Marshall Gooch, 87, of Spartanburg, died Sunday, September 9, 2007. Born May 19, 1920, in Spartanburg, SC, he was the son of the late Lorraine Culclasure and May Theodosia Stribling Gooch and the husband of the late Ruth Stacy Gooch. A decorated U.S. Air Force pilot in World War II, he was assigned to the China Burma India Theatre and piloted multiple missions across the Himalaya Mountains. He remained on flying status in the reserve program, retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, and belonged to the Military Officers and HUMP Pilots Associations. A graduate of Clemson College with a B.S. degree in Architecture, he was the retired Executive Director of the Spartanburg Housing Authority with 33 years of service. Through his leadership, the first housing for the elderly was made available in Spartanburg. He was the first Director in South Carolina to implement a home ownership program. A longtime active member of Bethel United Methodist Church, he was a member of the Loyalty Sunday School Class and held various offices including Trustee and Treasurer. He was a member of Spartan Masonic Lodge #10, Hejaz Shrine Temple, a longtime Worthy Patron of Tallulah Chapter 16, Order of the Eastern Star, a former Civitan, past president of the Carolinas Councils, and officeholder of SERC-NAHRO. Survivors include a son, Frank Marshall Gooch, Jr. and his wife Ruth Ann of Greenville; two daughters, Margaret Lorraine Gooch Kelly and her husband Michael of Boiling Springs, and Mary Elizabeth Gooch Gee and her husband Edward of Spartanburg; two grandsons, Edward Naive Gee, Jr. of Spartanburg, and Seth Marshall Gooch of Greenville; four granddaughters, Stacy Lorraine Kelly and Anne Elizabeth Kelly, both of Boiling Springs, Elizabeth Marshall Gee of Spartanburg, and Sally Elizabeth Gooch of Greenville; and two sisters, Elizabeth Gooch Daniel of Florida, and Mary Alice Gooch Hancock of Columbia. He was predeceased by his siblings, Lorraine, Joseph, John, and Deems. Visitation will be 1-2:45 p.m. Wednesday, September 12, 2007, in the Church Parlor of Bethel United Methodist Church. Funeral services will follow at 3:00 p.m. at the Church conducted by the Rev. David Nichols and the Rev. David B. Smith. Entombment will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, 245 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306. An online guest register is available at www.floydmortuary.com. Floyd's North Church Street Chapel