Leslie Edward Goodwin

1925 - 2008

Leslie Edward Goodwin, 82, died peacefully Thursday, April 24, 2008, at a Houston hospital.
Service: 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 2, in the chapel of First Presbyterian Church of Houston. Private interment: Houston National Cemetery. Reception: at the church after the service.
Memorials: May be made to First Presbyterian Church, 5300 Main, Houston, Texas 77004, or a charity of choice.
Leslie Goodwin was born Sept. 24, 1925, on a farm near Baker, Okla., to Sidney and Edith Barker Goodwin. Known to his friends as "Les," he served in the Navy on a mine sweeper in the waters surrounding Japan during World War II. Upon returning home, he graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he met the beautiful JoAnn "Jody" Jernigan. They were married May 7, 1950, and had two devoted sons.
Les spent most of his adult life in the oil and gas industry. He and his family lived in Liberal, Kan., where he worked for Panhandle Eastern Supply Co. In 1964, with the formation of Anadarko Production Co., he moved the family to Fort Worth, where they lived for 10 years. After relocating to Houston, Les worked for APC, Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline Co. and American Natural Resources Corp., which became part of Coastal Corp.
Les enjoyed telling the story of how his father, a native of Sudborne, England, immigrated alone as a teenager to the U.S. One of the great joys of his later years was discovering "long-lost" cousins in England and traveling overseas to meet them.
Les was a man of faith who loved the Lord, his family and a good game of golf. He was a dedicated member of First Presbyterian Church of Houston, where he was very active in the Fellowship Class with his wife, Jody, until her death in 2002. For many years, he served as an usher and a Stephen Ministry volunteer.
In addition to his wife and parents, Les was predeceased by a sister, Constance Courtner, and brother, Stanley Goodwin.
Survivors: His sons, Steve Goodwin and his wife, Kathe, of Fort Worth and Phil Goodwin and his wife, Rose, of Pearland; sister, Beryl Hull of Bergenfield, N.J.; and grandchildren, Angela and Stephen Goodwin and Genevieve Tampus.