William Dennis Goodwin

William “Dennis” Goodwin (Age 82) passed away at his home in Mansfield, Missouri, on Friday, September 27, following an 8-year decline that began with a stroke in August of 2016. Dennis was the fourth of five boys born to Boyd and Mabel (Purtle) Goodwin. He was born in the small community of Deepwater, Missouri, on June 8, 1942. 

The first nine years of Dennis’ childhood were lived in or near the small rural areas of Lowry City, Stotesbury, Blackjack, Osceola, and Deerfield, before moving to Chandler, Arizona in 1952. Shortly afterwards, he got saved while attending Vacation Bible School. In 1959, Dennis and his brother, Albert, left Arizona to attend Kansas City College and Bible School in Overland Park, Kansas, where they would meet their future wives. 

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, Boyd and Mabel Ethel (Purtle) Goodwin, his first wife, Dale Lenore (Hughey) Goodwin, two brothers, Clifford Lee Goodwin and Leslie Glenn Goodwin, and sister-in-law, Margaret Jean (Scoles) Goodwin.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Linda Lee (Gouge) Goodwin of Mansfield, Missouri, his firstborn son, Daniel LeRoy and wife, Shelda Lee (Coffman) Goodwin of Overland Park, Kansas, his son, Dwight Lyle Goodwin of Gardner, Kansas, his granddaughter, Heather RaChélle (Goodwin) and husband, Matthew Meinking of Shawnee, Kansas, his grandson, Daniel Ryan Goodwin and wife, Alexa Kate (Bozick) Goodwin of Overland Park, Kansas, three great-grandchildren, Evey Irene, Loralei Faye, and Adrian Quincy Goodwin, Dennis’ brother, Albert Leroy and Evelyn Sue (Marion) Goodwin of Phoenix, Arizona, his brother, Larry Eugene and Ruth Marie (Monroe) Goodwin of Gardner, Kansas, a surviving sister-in-law, Carolyn Jo (Ferguson) Goodwin, a surviving sister-in-law, Billie “Joyce” (Craig) Goodwin, a sister-in-law, Donna Sue (Gouge) and husband Brian G. Haynes of Mansfield, Missouri. 

He is also survived by nephew, Joseph Allen “Tad” Brown and Stacy Ruth (Sharp) Brown of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, nephew, Darrel Lee and Constance Lynne (Henry) Goodwin of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, niece, Kathy Gwen (Goodwin) and Steven Lee Plymire of Gardner, Kansas, nephew, Michael Wayne and Brenda Jean (Olsen) Goodwin of Las Vegas, Nevada, niece, Deneen Mabel (Goodwin) and Milford Wesley Cook of Belton, Missouri, niece, Shaleen Ka (Goodwin) and Kevin Blaine Grabill of Tonganoxie, Kansas, nephew, Russel Gene and Deborah Renae (Toalson) Goodwin of Gardner, Kansas, nephew, Glenn Eugene and Kerry Lynn (Dobachesky) Goodwin of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and nephew, Marcus Bryan and Ana (Roteri) Haynes of Erie, Pennsylvania. 

Dennis was loyal and faithful to God and family throughout his life. On June 11, 1963, he married Dale Lenore Hughey from Ashford, West Virginia. From this union came two boys, Daniel LeRoy in 1964 and Dwight Lyle in 1970. As the family began to grow, Dennis diligently worked long hours to provide for his young family. Among the early work he performed, Dennis was a school bus driver, a custodian, and a delivery driver before landing at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, where he worked for 17 years. It was at the Bank where he launched his first career, moving quickly from mail room supervisor to computer programming, to project management, and rising to leadership at every role along the way. After twenty years of building their life together, Dennis lost his wife Dale to cancer on July 4, 1983, creating heartbreak and loneliness for a season.

 A few years later, Dennis reconnected with a college friend who became his second “until death do you part” wife and life companion, Linda Lee Gouge, whom he married on February 21, 1987. Dennis and Linda Lee had a heart for ministry, embarking on mission trips to the Philippines, Ukraine, and Taiwan, ministering in various roles at Church of God (Holiness) churches in Jefferson City, Brush Arbor, and Gates, Tennessee, as well as churches in Phoenix and Colorado Springs. Dennis also was in leadership at the Kansas State Holiness Association for nearly thirty years, where he performed various roles as sound technician, Council Member, Vice-President, and President. He was also a faithful parishioner of the Fordland Church of God (Holiness) until poor health prevented his attendance.

Those who knew Dennis well will remember his deep bass voice and singing ability, a quick wit and humor, an analytical mind, his fervor to know God and make him known, his thought-provoking teaching style, his willingness to lend a hand to friends and family, and especially his devotional and prayer life, where he never ceased to ask for God’s best for his boys, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and greats, brothers, sisters-in-law and families, and for those whom he had met from around the world. Dennis invested his time not only in the study and mediation of the Holy Bible, but also to living out that faith relationship publicly so he could lead those he loved and those he encountered to their own forgiveness and faith in Jesus Christ. Indeed, his reach and influence on this earth was widespread, and he will be deeply missed by family, life-long friends, and by those he influenced to live their lives for God along the way.

 Hear the words of the Lord who says,

 “Well done, thou good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 

 Memorial Contributions: The Joshua Fund at: https://www.joshuafund.com/about/our-story?form=FUNTGFAVGEA    The Joshua Fund was founded by Joel and Lynn Rosenberg in the summer of 2006. The desire of their heart was to mobilize Christians to "Bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus," according to Genesis 12: 1-3