Edwin Goss

1926 - 2022

Edwin (Ed) Joseph Goss was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 8, 1926, and he died of natural causes on June 21, 2022. He was preceded in death by his father, Edward Goss, his mother, Ellen Goss, his wife, Kathryn (Kay) Goss, and his grandson, Lucas Nelson. He is survived by his sister, Jane Friend; his daughter, Judith Nelson, and his son-in-law, Tom Nelson; his son, Steven Goss, and his daughter-in-law, Annetta Goss; his grandchildren, Nicholas Nelson, Abbey Goss, Katy Goss, and Michael Goss; and his great-grandchildren, Amelia Goss, Whitman Lively, and Esme Lively.      Ed was very proud of his Newfoundland heritage. His parents moved to Brooklyn, New York, in their early adult years, met and married, and raised Ed and his sister in Brooklyn. The family was very active in their Catholic parish. Ed was so interested in the history of his family and his Newfie heritage that he wrote and published a book titled, "The Story of Two Newfoundland Families."        Ed attended schools in Brooklyn, New York, and upon graduating from Manual High School, he served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. He married Kay after the war in 1947, and their first child, Judith, was born that year. He attended Fordham University in the Bronx before taking on full-time employment with the Royal Globe Insurance Company. The young couple moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and then Columbus, Ohio, where Steven was born in 1951. They then moved to Dayton, Ohio, and these moves began his long and productive career with American States Insurance Company. During his tenure with American States, Ed and Kay lived in Indianapolis, Seattle, and Dallas as well as the cities in Ohio, and finally landed in Indianapolis for a second time where he became the Chairman and CEO of the company.                  Ed retired at age 62, and he and Kay began looking for a city in which to retire. Good friends in Tucson introduced them to their lovely city, and Ed and Kay purchased a home in the desert. For a number of years, they were snowbirds, but eventually sold their home in Indianapolis and became full-time residents of Tucson. They were members of Skyline Country Club for many years, and Ed was a member of Saint Thomas Catholic Church. In his retirement years, Ed and Kay travelled extensively, and they loved to learn about new cultures and to explore other countries.      Ed and Kay were substantial contributors to their communities. They were particularly supportive of education and contributed generously to the building of a new school of business at Butler University in Indianapolis. They also donated Ed's rare and antique book collection to the library at Butler where a special room has been dedicated in their names. Ed was a member of the Board at Butler, and the administration at Butler University has honored both Ed and Kay for their generosity and service. Ed was also inducted into the Carillon Society at Butler. The couple were members of the Medici Circle at the University of Arizona and enjoyed helping students in the arts pursue their careers. Edwin served on the boards of Indianapolis Power and Light and the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.                    Edwin was known to all as a gentleman and as a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was a kind and generous person and helped others whenever there was a need. His family plans a memorial service at a future date. Arrangements: East Lawn.