Stephen Arthur Goodwin

March 18, 1951 - January 5, 2024

Fort Worth, Texas - Stephen Arthur Goodwin, a retired attorney, devoted family man, and trusted friend, passed away peacefully on January 5 at the age of 72.

A celebration of his life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 12, at First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, 800 W. Fifth St., followed by a reception at River Crest Country Club.

Steve lived a life filled with integrity, commitment, faith, and love. He was born March 18, 1951, to Leslie Edward and Marjorie JoAnn Jernigan Goodwin in Liberal, Kansas. In this idyllic small town, where no one locked their doors, Steve, his younger brother Phil, and their dad came home from school and work for lunch every day. His father's career in the oil and gas business brought the family to Fort Worth when Steve was 14 years old. In 1969, he graduated from Arlington Heights High School, where he played football and made lifelong friends.

A dedicated student, Steve earned a BA with honors in Business Administration and Government from Austin College in 1973. He went on to receive his JD in 1976 from SMU Dedman School of Law, where he was a member of Pi Gamma Mu and Delta Theta Pi legal fraternities. Immediately following law school, he started his legal career at Adams & Bryant in Dallas. Soon thereafter he joined the Fort Worth law firm of Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, where he began as a business litigator and rapidly became a partner. One of his more prominent cases during that period was representing senior bank lenders in the Braniff Airways bankruptcy.

On November 18, 1978, Steve married Kathe Ambrose. They embraced each other's families, and their dreams came true years later when they were blessed with two children, Angela and Stephen, Jr. An adoring father, Steve never missed an athletic event, musical recital, competition, or performance. He cherished family-centered weekends and vacations as well as every single moment spent with their children. As Angela and Stephen grew into adulthood, he asked Kathe with increasing frequency, "What can we do for the kids?"

Through the practice of law, Steve found personal satisfaction helping those in distress. In 1988, he joined Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal in Dallas as a partner specializing in bankruptcy and financial reorganization. While assisting his clients as a lead legal participant across a wide range of industries, he served on the firm's executive committee for many years.

A frequent lecturer and author, he was recognized by Texas Monthly as a Texas Super Lawyer and was regularly named to The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in Executive Business, and Outstanding Young Men of America, among many additional honors. He was a member of the American Bar Association ï¿½ Business Bankruptcy Committee, State Bar of Texas, American Bankruptcy Institute, and a Texas Bar Foundation Life Fellow. Active in the John C. Ford Inn of Court, he became a member emeritus following his early retirement due to Alzheimer's disease in May 2012. In 2015, he was named to the Honorary Serjeant's Inn of Dallas-Fort Worth Inn of Court. An esteemed judge and colleague said of Steve, "He was my Abraham Lincoln. His word was good."

With a keen intellect and curious mind, Steve was a gentleman of many interests. He had a great appreciation of good books and films, all genres of music, art, and theater. Nourishing his passion for history, he and three good friends studied World War II at Cambridge and Oxford. In addition, he reveled in nature, travel, snow skiing, and watching sports ï¿½ especially soccer ï¿½ on television, as well as attending TCU football games. A graduate of Leadership Fort Worth, he belonged to First United Methodist Church and River Crest Country Club and was a former member of the Steeplechase Club, Jewel Charity, Fort Worth Club, Crescent Club, TCU Frog Club, and Camp Carter Board of Directors.

Our family is grateful to God for the blessing of Steve and the lives and hearts he touched. We also extend deep appreciation to the dedicated staff at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care, where he was a longtime "favorite" resident, and to his compassionate caregivers at Community Healthcare of Texas.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Phillip Goodwin. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 45 years, Kathe, his daughter Angela Goodwin Hill and husband Matthew, son Stephen Arthur Goodwin, Jr. and wife Kelly; grandchildren, Hays and Edie Hill, and Everett and Banks Goodwin; and dear in-laws, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

To honor what Steve loved most in life or to pay tribute to his final years, please consider a memorial donation to Gladney Center for Adoption, 6300 John Ryan Dr., Fort Worth, Texas 76132, or James L. West Center for Dementia Care, 1111 Summit Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76102, or a charity of choice.