Joel Goodkind

Joel Goodkind

Born August 25, 1939 in southern California, died peacefully in Taos on June 7, 2023 after a long illness. Surrounded by loving friends and his two primary hospice nurses, Joel had a Good Death. Joel deliberately chose to voluntarily die under the legal, medically assisted New Mexico Medical Aid in Dying Act which can be done under a doctor's supervision when one has only a short time left to live. Although he was awake, aware, even humorous and utterly without hesitation, Joel was in unremitting, debilitating pain and knew he had nothing but increased physical suffering ahead of him in the few weeks left of his life. Joel was a consummate artist of many genres: he excelled at painting, ceramics, sculpture, fine digital printmaking and as a gardener and as a cook. Joel lived large despite his modest means. He sought beauty in whatever he did and he was a passionate activist / defender of The Wild. After the sudden, tragic death of his son, Issac Black Elk Goodkind in January, 1993, from a freak snowboarding accident, Joel found himself griefstriken on the beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. There he met his third wife-to-be, longtime Taos resident, Elizabeth Walker aka Allanah. They returned to Taos to live together for many years with their beloved dog Smoke, living close to the land near a sparkling pond in Miranda Canyon until a few months before her death in 2019. Joel brought his outsized Zorba the Greek personality to all he did and to all he met. He was exuberant, opinionated and fiercely protective of all creatures. He was an ardent cinephile and enjoyed watching films right up until he died. Joel was a deeply spiritual person and although not religious, he was aware of the interdependence of all beings and he would frequently quote the teachings of his Zen Buddhist teacher, Joko Beck. Prior to living in Taos, Joel lived in Alaska and before that, on San Juan Ridge ("The Ridge") in Nevada County in the California Sierra Foothills. He grew up in Southern California, where he met his first wife Jacqueline Bellon and together they traveled in Europe, the Middle East and Greece. They remained close friends throughout his life. Joel's second wife Merle Donaldson, mother of Issac, passed away in 2003. Joel is survived by his many friends from both Taos and The Ridge and most significantly by Jake Freydont-Attie who spent the month before Joel's death as his round the clock caretaker. While not biologically related, Joel considered Jake to be his heart son and Jake more than fulfilled that role by providing constant humor, joy and solace to Joel in his final days. Jake kept the feeders outside Joel's window always filled thereby attracting many, many birds all day long much to Joel's delight. He walked on in Beauty. No public services or memorials are planned at this time.