WATERFORD, Conn. – Merle Willard Goodall, 82, left his earthly family to go home to his Heavenly Father Jan. 23, 2011, after an extended illness. He will be deeply missed by friends and family. He was born Jan. 25, 1928, in Oakfield, son of the late Nellie Ryan Goodall and the late Ralph Goodall.
He served for four years as a military police officer in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1949.
He went to Connecticut in 1954, working at Robertson Paper Box Co., Montville, Conn., before working at General Dynamics for 18 years as a supervisor. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Waterford (Conn.), where he had many friends and sat under the loving and expert teaching of Pastor Bill Reed and Pastor David Moynihan. Throughout the course of many years, he and his wife enjoyed numerous camping trips seeing the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone Park, as well as many other places.
He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Donna Burpee Goodall; his granddaughter, Jennifer Ronni and Andrew Nyveldt; a great-grandson, A.J. Nyveldt; daughter-in-law, Janice Ann Goodall; many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Frances Davis of Montville, Conn., and Sharon Reynolds of Independence, Kan.; and two brothers-in-law, Patrick Burpee of Norwich, Conn., and Michael Burpee of Jewett City, Conn. He was predeceased by his one and only child, his son, Ronald Walker Goodall; four brothers, Ralph Jr., Eugene, Donald and Harold Jr.; and three sisters, Elva Peckham, Betty Ingham and Faye Goodall.
Funeral services were conducted in Connecticut. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Waterford, 105 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford, CT 06385. To send a condolence message to his family, please visit
www.neilanfuneralhome.com.