John Eagan Goodhue

1949 - 2023

John Goodhue

John Eagan Goodhue passed away at his home in Paducah, Kentucky, on Oct. 7 after having lived a life that took a full measure of the joys of each day. He was an outstanding athlete and a member of the United States Ski Team. He strove to remain in peak health throughout his life. He had a keen interest in his family history and heritage as well as a passion for all things mechanical. He was a devoted brother and son as well as a friend to many. He was passionate about sports and the outdoors.

John was born Sept. 10, 1949, in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother, Ann Eagan Goodhue, was a southern bell who met her husband, Wistar Evans Goodhue, during WWII at a dance for Naval Officers at the Georgian Terrace Hotel. Like his father before him, who, though a devout Quaker, took up arms to defend his beloved country in WWI. John's father rode his motorcycle up the long steps of the hotel to the front door, with John later in life sharing this passion for motorcycles as well, taking them on wonderful cross-country trips with friends.

His maternal grandfather, John J. Eagan, was a well-known businessman in Atlanta. Mr. Eagan had founded American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) in Birmingham, run by the principles of The Golden Rule and it grew into an international pipe company. With his grandmother, Susan Young Eagan, by his side, they had effected many significant changes in the city of Atlanta.

Not long after the conclusion of the war, the family of four, now with younger sister Katherine, relocated to South Hadley, Massachusetts. John's father "Wis," a Naval Air Corps pilot, was able to fly out of Westover Air Force Base nearby during the Korean War.

John thrived in the New England area with a love for the outdoors, much like his father and mother. His father had deep Quaker roots in New England and the Friends Society of Philadelphia where he was born. His paternal great-grandfather's family hailed from Brattleboro, Vermont. John's grandfather, Francis Goodhue III, was one of the best shots in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and was always known to have the top pointer hunting dogs. John spent many happy times throughout all these beautiful areas of New England. He also delighted in wonderful summers at the family's property at Maskoma Lodge and lake, on Smarts Mountain above Lyme, New Hampshire, surrounded by thousands of acres owned by his paternal grandmother's family, the Parks, after a long rich history of logging in the early days of the area. John also enjoyed family reunions at Barberry Hill and Brattleboro, Vermont at the Holbrook Farm. John would later help Fred Holbrook at the farm in his elderly years, as Fred did not marry. Fred was a descendant of the Governor of Vermont, Frederick Holbrook in 1861. It was said that their Vermont Regiment had captured one of John's mothers' family members near Atlanta. When John's parents attended the hanging of Governor Holbrook's portrait at the State Capital, his mother quietly whispered kiddingly that "she had been waiting a long time for one of his relatives to be hung." Later Grace Goodhue, another relative, would become the wife of Calvin Coolidge and serve as first lady of the United States.

The family also spent holidays and summers at Sea Island, Georgia. He made lifelong friends during these holidays. Many of them later made Sea Island and St. Simons their home. In 1979 his parents would retire to the beautiful coastal island and have five generations connected to the area.

John attended Holderness Prep School in Holderness, New Hampshire. There he honed his skills in skiing in the New England mountains and excelled in the sport. He graduated from South Hadley High School and was now well-known on the competitive skiing circuit. He, like his father, now a Regional Sales Engineer for Sonoco Products Co., had a keen interest in antique, vintage and competitive cars, in addition to motorcycles. John too shared this passion throughout his life.

John then attended Johnson State College, now Northern Vermont University in Johnson, Vermont. There he became a world class skier in addition to completing his studies and graduating from college. He became part of the United States Ski Team, a high-level talent squad that would travel the world competing and training in the off-season. His parents and family members traveled to competitions throughout the United States, including Mount Washington, Colorado, and Europe. Trips would include Chile, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, and many other locations. John excelled in slalom and giant slalom but loved the speed of the downhill competition. His family remarked that it was difficult to simply climb the course to stand and watch him compete due to the sharp slope of the terrain, but John loved the challenge of the course and the endurance it took to compete. The acquaintances he met on the circuit, including teammates and competitors, would remain lifelong friends. They would remain close and meet regularly in later years.

John later transitioned into the ski production industry as a representative for Spaulding Ski Corporation. He could now supply the specific tools needed to win competitions for his friends as they competed internationally. He continued to travel representing the company.

Later in life John returned to his southern roots. After collaborating with a friend in a major grocery business in Paducah, he set out on his own and founded Midstream groceries in Paducah, Kentucky. He became a member of the Paducah Rotary Club and developed a deep appreciation for the area. He loved the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and boating. He provided provisions to the tugboat industry as they traveled up and down the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers with their cargo in tow. He expanded his company to the Memphis area as well. It demanded 24-hour attention and constant replenishment of goods around the clock. He made many friends in the industry. It also provided an opportunity to travel and expand his knowledge and interest in boats in addition to his passion for motorcycles, which he raced at times, and vintage Porsches and Corvettes. John attended the Indianapolis 500 race frequently to join friends and the competitors he had gotten to know over the years of racing.

John found time in his busy life to become a certified pilot as well. He had numerous friends in Paducah that flew. It allowed him an opportunity to travel to Sea Island and visit family and friends regularly, as well as acquaintances around the country. He flew frequently and found vintage planes of particular interest.

In later years, John was diagnosed with a form of cancer by chance after being checked for a broken bone after a biking accident. Seemly unfazed by the news, John continued his active life. The news never slowed his passion for life and competition. During his treatments he carried his stationary bike with him to continue his fitness routine as an avid bicyclist. The diagnosis challenged him to continue to remain in peak health, amazing physicians, and friends.

John had boundless energy and was a devoted friend to those he knew. He never seemed to age, regardless of the later health challenge he faced. He will be dearly missed by family and countless friends he knew through business and interests that he enjoyed throughout his life. He is survived by his sisters, Katherine Campbell and Susan Goodhue; niece, Anna Ross (Clint); nephews, Thomas Campbell (Ruth), William Goodhue; and great-niece and nephew. The family would like to thank all of the friends that have reached out with prayers and kindness both here and in Paducah, Kentucky, during this time of sorrow and thanksgiving for the life of John.

A private service with family and friends will be held Dec. 9 at Christ Church Cemetery on St. Simons Island, Georgia, followed by a dinner of remembrance. A celebration of his life will take place at a later date in Paducah, Kentucky.

Donations in honor of John Goodhue may be made to St. Simons Presbyterian Church, 205 Kings Way, St. Simons Island, Georgia, 31522. John would often say that it was here at this church that you were to join his grandmother and family on Sundays if you were a house guest during the wonderful summers at Sea Island growing up.

Family-placed obituary

The Brunswick News, December 9, 2023