Lawrence Dean Goodnight

Lawrence Dean Goodnight

Lawrence Dean Goodnight passed away at his home in Edmonds, Washington on Friday, July 20, 2007, at the age of 84. Lawrence was born March 22, 1923, in Champion, Alberta, Canada to Jesse Dean and Susan Mae Goodnight. He was the fourth youngest of nine children. Providing for a big family during the depression was hard but Lawrence always remembered those years in Canada as happy family times. He completed high school at Battle Ground High School in Washington State. In 1942, Lawrence enlisted in the Army and became a paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne. He saw action throughout the European theatre, including Italy, Germany, France and North Africa. After the war he pursued his education at the University of Washington. He eventually settled in Seattle and spent his career as a building contractor, Goodnight Homes, with his wife and partner, Donna.
He met and married Donna Hilderbrand May 16, 1953. They had five children, four boys and one girl. Donna and Lawrence recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. Theirs was a close and loving relationship and an example to all who knew them. They made Edmonds, Washington their home in 1965. Lawrence enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading, gardening and traveling, but he most treasured spending time with his family. He was a long time fan of Seattle sports teams. His children knew him as enterprising, industrious, wise and successful, but also as a loving, supportive, generous father, grandfather, husband, uncle and friend. He was an anchor in stormy times for countless people and was loved and respected by all. Lawrence was from an era when a handshake or his word was his bond and his friendship was everlasting.
He is survived by his wife, Donna; four sisters, Anne, Phyllis, Eloise, and Elizabeth; his five children, Gary (Shelley), Keith (Karen), Dana (Jeff), Bruce, and Brian (Michele); nine grandchildren, Skyler, Siera, Dustin, Tyler, Chase, Sean, Courtney, Cole and Austin; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Lawrence's family would especially like to extend their appreciation to the paramedics at Fire Station #16 in Edmonds.
A Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m., on Friday, July 27, at Calvin Presbyterian Church, 18826 – 3rd Ave. NW in Shoreline. An Interment will follow at Edmonds Memorial Cemetery, 820 – 15th Way SW in Edmonds.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to "The Smile Train" (the world's leading cleft charity), P.O. Box 96231, Washington D.C. 20090-6231, www.smiletrain.org, or the R.H. Williams Laboratory for Diabetes Research at the UW Medicine Foundation, 1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA 98101-2506. Arrangements: Beck's Funeral Home, Edmonds, (425) 771-1234.