Thomas Fielding Godfrey

1928 - 2025

Thomas Fielding Godfrey
Born: January 5, 1928 in Ottawa, IL
Died: January 23, 2025 in Ottawa, IL
Thomas Fielding Godfrey, 97, of Ottawa, IL passed away peacefully after a brief stay at the Pleasant View Lutheran Home on January 23, 2025. He was born on January 5, 1928, in Ottawa, IL, and was the oldest of two children of Philip Henry and Florence Hornung Godfrey.
Tom graduated from Ottawa Township High School in 1946. He then attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where he made lifelong friendships with fraternity brothers from Chile and Peru. He finished his schooling at the University of Illinois graduating summa cum laude in Business Administration.
Following graduation from college, Tom returned to Ottawa and married his childhood sweetheart, Patty Stevens, in 1952. Tom and Patty moved to Fort Hood, TX where Tom served in the United States Army 43rd Military Police Criminal Investigation Detachment from 1951- 53. After leaving the Army they moved to
Buenos Aires, Argentina where he worked for Compañia Swift de la Plata. While in Buenos Aires, Tom and Patty had two sons, Philip Henry and Michael Stevens. Sadly, Patty passed away suddenly in 1956, Tom returned home to Ottawa with his two young sons and went to work for the family-owned property management businesses, Ottawa Realty Trust and the T.R. Godfrey Trust.
Tom met and married Patty Ann Purcifull of Ottawa in 1959. They made their home on E. Prospect Avenue in Ottawa where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Godfrey assumed the leadership position of the family's 4th generation business in 1976 following the death of his father. In 2016 he formed Godfrey Farms LLC in to order to provide business structure for the management of certain family farm properties and other family assets. During this time, he ate lunch daily at the Green Mill with his good friends Sam Parr, Bill Sanders, Bo Jordan and Harry Cook, to name a few.
Tom loved the town of Ottawa. He served on the First National Bank Board from 1991 - 2000, was a member of the American Legion, the Ottawa Elks Club and the Union League Club in Chicago. Tom was a member of the United Church of Christ, formerly First Congregational Church. During his youth Tom was a lifeguard at Blackhawk Beach in Ottawa. He was a member of the Starved Rock Yacht Club and the Ottawa Boat Club for many years.
Some of Tom's fondest memories were of time spent in Boca Grande, FL with his family over Christmas holidays for more than 20 years. Tom and Patty traveled the world together and enjoyed visiting exotic places off the beaten track with friends from Ottawa, and enjoyed winters at their home in Tucson, AZ after they retired. They loved to entertain at their home and Tom will definitely be remembered as the life of the party. Tom was an avid reader his entire life devouring newspapers, as well as books and biographies on characters from a bygone era like Ernest Hemingway and Evita Peron. His favorite movie was Casablanca which he watched weekly in his final years. He truly was part of the greatest generation in how he lived his life and raised his family.
In 2014 Mr. Godfrey's wife began to require around-the-clock caregivers whose dedication and service made them truly part of the family. As the years passed by Mr. Godfrey himself would require the same care. The family is deeply indebted to these compassionate and thoughtful individuals, Dorota Wiacek, and most especially Ms. Maggie Erisman.
Tom will be remembered by both family and friends for his dedication, his dry sense of humor, remarkable perseverance and positive attitude in the face of difficulty, and great enthusiasm for life in general. He will remain forever in our thoughts and prayers. Mr. Godfrey was preceded in death by his two wives, Patty and Patty Ann. His parents, Philip Henry Godfrey and Florence Hornung Godfrey. His infant daughter, Gwyneth. His brothers-in-law John W. Longstreth and Robert O. Purcifull, and sister-in-law Polly W. Purcifull. He is survived by his sister Cordelia G. Longstreth of Virginia Beach, VA; sons Philip H. (Ellen) and Michael S. (Lisa); his grandchildren, Sarah Godfrey Trahan (Christopher), Margaret Godfrey LeBlanc (Seth) all of Baton Rouge, LA, and Thomas Fielding Godfrey, II of Layfayette, CO; his great grandchildren, Peter Glenn Trahan, Bonnie Kate LeBlanc, and Ellen Estelle Trahan, many loving nieces, nephews and cousins, and his cat Gato.
A private family service will be held grave side later this spring at the Ottawa Avenue Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials may be directed to The Foundation Of The Old Guard - www.oldguard.foundation, The Child Welfare Guild, 701 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, IL 61350, Pet Project P.O. Box 163, Ottawa, IL 61350, or the donor's choice.