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Goodman, William W. (Wolf), 1917-2010

 Person

Biography

William Goodman, age 92, a much-beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, an advocate for social justice, a proud Jewish-American, a Democrat and a civic leader in Danbury's post-World War II transformation from the single-industry "Hat City" to today's diversified metropolis known for its quality schools, low crime, and pleasant environs, died of natural causes February 21 at Danbury Hospital. A native of New York City, Goodman, with his wife June, moved to Danbury in 1946 to manage the Bieber-Goodman Felt Body Corporation, which had been founded by Max Bieber and Goodman's father, Louis Rose Goodman. Goodman managed the hat company through its move from Danbury to Bethel and until it closed business in 1958 as the last locally-owned and operated hat factory in the Danbury area. In 1960 he joined George A. Shepard & Sons, Inc., now Shepard's Inc., a commercial warehouse and moving company in Bethel, developing its business and serving as its Chairman until his death. Goodman and his wife June were intensely involved in Danbury's civic affairs. In the 1950s they helped create the "Committee of 1000," a grass-roots movement dedicated to modernizing Danbury's public school system as the city grew. Deeply familiar with the problems of industrial development in Danbury, Goodman was appointed Chairman of the original Town Planning Commission by 1st Selectman Joseph Saueramong his accomplishments was helping convince Stanley Richter to bequeath to the city the tract of land on the west side that was to become the Richter Park Golf courseand was subsequently named Chairman of the City Planning Commission by Mayor J. Thayer Bowman soon after the consolidation of the town and city governments. He served more than ten years in that capacity, planning Danbury's economic transformation, the necessary expansion of its infrastructure and paving the way for many companies to make Danbury their home. When he left the Planning Commission in 1970 he was cited for his "dedicated service, untiring efforts, and valued friendship" by the members of the commission and the officials of the city with whom he had served. Goodman's civic life in Connecticut began soon after he moved to Danbury when he was appointed by Governor Raymond Baldwin to serve on the state's Veterans Advisory Committee. He subsequently was appointed by Governor Ella Grasso to the State Railroad Commission. He served for many years on Danbury's Town Democratic Party Committee and as Danbury's representative to the Democratic State Central Committee. He was Chairman of the William Ratchford for Congress Committee and was appointed by Governor Grasso to chair Connecticut's Carter for President Committee in 1980. Among the organizations Goodman helped found, served or for which he advocated are the American Veteran's Committee, Americans for Democratic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, CT., Connecticut Planned Parenthood, the Jewish Federation of Danbury, Danbury's United Jewish Center, the NAACP and as a founding Board Member of the New Israel Fund. At the time of his death he was a member of the Danbury Library Board (originally appointed by Mayor Gino Arconti and reappointed by Mayor Mark Boughton), the Danbury Men's Club, the Danbury Bridge Club, and the Twisters Golf Club. William Wolf Goodman was born September 21, 1917 in New York City to Louis Rose Goodman and Florence Wolf Goodman. In his 1932 confirmation essaywritten for Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, one of the preeminent Jewish thinkers of the 20th centuryGoodman wrote, "Whatever interferes with the development of your manhood or womanhood is injustice," signaling his long commitment to equal rights. He was educated at Horace Mann High School in New York and graduated with a bachelor of arts in Sociology from Dartmouth College in 1939. In 1941 he and June Van Raalte Karelsen of New York City were married, a union which lasted 56 years until her death in 1997. Goodman served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1946 and was discharged in the Pacific Theater with the rank of Captain. In 1942, a few months before his first child was born, Goodman wrote to the unborn child from Pearl Harbor, where he was stationed: "[The Jews] have been a religious group that has desired for all freedom and greater happiness...may you in your life help to make it a world of peace and a world of understanding among all men." The letter was published in PM and read by Ralph Bellamy on WABC radio as part of a War Bonds Drive. In 2002 Goodman married Vivienne Nemerson of New Haven, CT, with whom he shared a great love of travel, politics and the arts. Bill is survived by his wife, Vivienne, his sister, Loucel Lippman of New York City; and by his and June's five children: Louis Goodman of Bethesda, MD, Michael Goodman of Westport, Kitty Stein of Lincoln, Mass., Douglas Goodman of New York City, and Susan Goodman-Goldstein of Red Hook, NY. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Elizabeth Goodman of Brooklyn, NY, Kelric Goodman of Catonsville, MD; Jennifer Goodman of Sarasota, Fla., Somers Goodman of Waco, Texas, Sasha Goldstein-Sabbah of The Hague, The Netherlands, and Joshua Goldstein of Red Hook, NY. His 10 great-grandchildren are Jessica and Henry Balick Goodman of Catonsville, Md., Ella, Isaiah, and Julian Brown of Brooklyn, Helen and Daisy Goodman of Waco, Texas, Kaia and Sophia Yturralde of Sarasota, Fla., and Dalia Sabbah-Goldstein of The Hague. Goodman is also survived by Vivienne's three children: Matthew Nemerson and his daughters, Elana and Joy, of New Haven, David Nemerson and his son, Arlo, of Baltimore, and Andrea Nemerson and her children, Avram and Lilah Hoover, of San Francisco. Goodman was a charming, optimistic, dynamic and loving civic leader, cook, sportsman and businessman, utterly devoted to his family and many friends. He was a dedicated Danburian and a life-long Democrat as illustrated by one of his proudest statements: "The only Republican I ever voted for was T. Clark Hull [for State Senator], but only once!" Goodman fought many battles, never worried about what people might think or what the odds of success were if he believed something ought to done. At the height of the 1950's "Red Scare" he chose, despite numerous threats and warnings, to testify before the Army-McCarthy hearings on behalf of a college classmate who had been accused of being a Communist. In his last weeks William Goodman did not depart from how he lived every day: with optimism and great spiritual energy, buoyed by his clear belief that his causes would be carried on by the next three generations of Goodmans and Nemersons. The family will be receiving guests on the evenings of February 22 and 23 in their home at 1 Lakeside Rd. in Danbury from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be a Memorial Service Tuesday, March 2, at 11 a.m. at the United Jewish Center on Deer Hill Ave. in Danbury. Contributions in his memory can be made to The New Israel Fund at www.nif.org.