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Eric Marshall Goodfellow
May 18, 1927 - March 25, 2023
Obituary
Eric Marshall Goodfellow
May 18, 1927 – March 25, 2023
It is with sadness that the family of Eric Goodfellow announce his passing on March 25th at Princeton General Hospital. He was 54 days short of his 96th birthday. Alert and sharp until the end, he remained interested and engaged with those whose lives he touched.
Eric came to Princeton at the age of 6 weeks when his family moved here in 1927. He never left. Always an ambassador for Princeton, he endorsed it with having great weather and fine folks. ‘No better place to live.’
Eric spent his working life with BC Telephones, retiring in 1983 after almost 40 years of service. It was there he met Ruth Peebles who was a telephone operator, and they were married in 1951. The couple had two children.
Eric was called upon to perform funeral services after his father, Reverend John Goodfellow passed away in 1968. Later he was appointed as a BC marriage commissioner and over the next 35 years, he performed some 780 funerals and 560 weddings. He always delighted in seeing young couples exchanging nuptials and starting their life together.
Travel was very important to Eric and Ruth, and they explored the world. He always used to say they made it to six of the seven continents, only missing Antarctica.
Eric gave back to his community in many ways and was involved with many service groups and organizations over the years.
He is survived by his son, Christie (wife Penny) of Coalmont, BC, son-in-law Anthony Muller (wife Patricia) of Lake Country, BC, his special lady friend, Cecile Hug of Cawston, BC, his adopted daughter Debbie Neilson, of Edmonton AB, and several nieces and nephews.
He is predeceased by his parents, John & Isabel, his wife Ruth, his daughter Jane, brother Jack and sister Lois.
The family would like to thank Dr. Soutar and the nurses and caregivers at the Princeton General Hospital for their extraordinary care and kindness. He thought the world of you!
Service to be announced pending arrangements being made.
Condolences
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From: Kettle Valley Memorial Services
The Kettle Valley Memorial staff send our condolences to family and friends.
From: LYNN BOYD
Oh Eric, I am so sad to learn of your passing. Sending hugs and prayers to Chris and his family and to Tony and family as well. I first met Eric when he and Ruth were members of the Orange Lodges here in Princeton and of course have kept in touch through the many years since then. Beautiful people in every way. Love, peace and hugs to all.
From: Tony Muller
Relation: My Father-in-law
Dad,
Anyone who knew our Dad would know just how much he liked to work in his office on his computer, reading the news, sending emails, preparing his services, making birthday cards and pocket diaries. It wasn’t always so. His love of life, his love of learning and his unfailing connection and compassion for people drove his enthusiastic and unique application of the latest Mac technology.
When I first met Dad, he had a heavy old manual typewriter in the middle of this office desk under the watchful gaze of Queen Victoria’s picture hanging above. Sometimes the keys would interlock or stick before striking the page. The ribbon would jump around, occasionally there would be a touch of red on the black letters on the page, or a hole in the page where the stop should have been. One year, Jane and I upgraded him to an electric typewriter we bought on sale at Costco. He did not have to hit the keys as hard as on the manual typewriter, but he did anyway. He prepared many of his services on these old typewriters, sometimes typing them many times over because of silly spelling mistakes or left out words. When he thought the service was done he would pass it to Mom (Ruth) to read over. Often she would find something to add or another spelling or grammatical error. Dad would type the service over again. He would tell me this is how he learnt his service so he did not have to look down too frequently while delivering it.
In the early 90’s I was offered a job in Australia. I managed to convince Jane that I should upgrade our computer from a Mac SE to the new Macintosh II model, larger screen, more RAM, faster processor and larger hard drive. The week before we were to leave for Australia Mom and Dad came to stay with us in Gibsons. I explained to Dad my reasons for buying the new computer and he nodded quietly. When I finished explaining he asked, “What are you going to do with the old one?” To which I replied that I was going to ask him if he would store it for us while we were away adding, “You can use it if you like”.
I took Dad upstairs and showed him how to plug the mouse into the keyboard, the keyboard and printer into the computer, plug the power cord into the computer and where to turn it on. Everything plugged into the back of the computer including the switch to turn it on. I showed him how to open up a word processing application and type a few words, save it, print it and the process to shut down the computer. In less than half and hour he had the Mac SE packed up in its carry bag and tucked away in his truck and off they went home.
The first thing he did on arriving in Princeton was to go into the garage and make a table with a pull-out drawer for the keyboard and mouse. He attached a shelf above for the Mac laser printer. He soon had the computer table varnished, in his office and started working on his first service. At first he used it just like a typewriter but got more adventurous as he gained more confidence in its uses. On the front of his services he liked to have the titles in larger font and a picture of some sort. He would print up the front page and walk down to Pharmasave to enlarge the type on their photocopier before glueing it to the front page and photocopying it again.
He was so happy with his productions and keen to show them to me when we came home for our first break. I said “Dad you can do all that on the computer and save yourself a walk”. “I can??” said Dad. I showed him how it was done, he never looked back. I also showed him a way where he could just type out his service and then break it up into the different pages to make up his booklets, print up multiple copies etc. Then he wanted to know how to feather edge his pictures to go on the front. There were no end of ideas he had to make his service booklets look better. Often Mom would add her touch with a 4 leaf clover or dried wild rose.
Any computer glitch stopped everything in the house. The computer would be packed up with Mom and Dad in the truck driving to Penticton to the Mac Doctor. Mark and Charmaine Lewis were a great support resource, patiently answering all Dad’s questions and getting his computer up and running again. Sometimes updating the system and programs on the computer. They knew just how much Dad relied on his computer. Soon they were able to upgrade Dad to a new computer and over the years he has had many more.
Dad no longer had to walk down to the Pharmasave photocopier with change in his pockets. His old typewriter was positioned on a cardboard box upstairs for filling in forms. He did not quite master that on the computer! Life changed for Dad, he was always learning new things on the computer and I think it was for the better. I was always amazed by some of his creations.
Last year he called me on the phone and said “I see I bought this computer on Feb 13, 2013, so it is 9 years old now! On the internet is says that it is getting to the end of its life. Could you please go and buy me a new one!” The new iMac is more brightly coloured, blue instead of grey, with more RAM, faster processor, more memory and larger hard drive, but cost the same as the old one 9 years ago!!
Till the very end Dad was very attached to his iMac, creating birthday cards, reading the news, sending out emails daily, checking his banking, paying bills and even starting on his 2024 pocket diaries. His iMac was used to his fullest imagination.
Life was never dull with you in our lives Dad and we will miss you tremendously as we continue on.
Love Tony
From: Peter and Ann Withers
Relation: A close friend, and father in law of a close friend
Eric was the father in law of one of our closest friends, Tony, and father of Tony’s late wife, Jane. Both Eric and Ruth became close friends of ours too and we used to enjoy our visits with them immensely. We will miss Eric and his cheery attitude to life, people and events, and we are sure he will leave a large vacancy in his community, May he rest in peace!
Our deepest and sincere condolences to his family, and especially to Tony and Chris, and their loved ones.
Peter and Ann
From: Deb Neilson
Relation: Adopted Daughter
My dearest adopted dad had the most beautiful heart and was always kind with an encouraging word of love. His gentle spirit touched my very soul. He had such an strong moral compass that surpassed all and I was always so in awe of him. I always looked up to him with love and admiration. I will miss him terribly, he was one of the most compassionate and understanding people I have ever been blessed to know.
Chris and Penny, Tony and Trish, and many others, the void that Eric left in your hearts is felt by many who knew Eric and loved him. As sad as I am of Eric’s passing, I feel a deep peace knowing that he is in The Lord’s care.
May all of us feel the peace that passes all understanding and let it rest within your hearts and your very souls.
Warmest blessings.
From: Deb Smith
Relation: life long friend
Sad to see you go Pops. So many great memories with you. When you married Dale and I being one of the best. When you see Ruthie and Jane, give them a hug from me and tell them I still miss them dearly. I’ll miss your history lessons and terrific humour. Rest well. xo debs
From: Michael Franke
Relation: He was my marriage comissioner
Dear Goodfellow Family,
I have only now learned of Eric’s death via the Internet.
We were one of the few German couples who were married by Eric in British Columbia (Merritt) in 2009. This touching wedding ceremony has always remained in our memories and our hearts.
Even when my wife Uli passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in April 2020, Eric’s comforting words over our email exchanges always lifted me up for life.
For that, I thank Eric immensely and will keep him and his friendly nature constantly in mind.
I grieve with you and wish you much strength.
Eric’s friend Michael Franke (Bonn, Germany)
Walk within you
If I be the first of us to die,
Let grief not blacken long your sky.
Be bold yet modest in your grieving.
There is change but not a leaving.
For just as death is part of life,
The dead live on forever in the living.
For all the gathered riches of our journey,
The moments shared, the mysteries explored,
The steady layer of intimacy stored,
The things that made us laugh or weep or sing,
The joy of sunlit snow or first unfurling in the spring,
The wordless language of look and touch,
The knowing,
Each giving and each taking,
These are not flowers that fade,
Nor trees that fall and crumble,
Nor are they stone
For even stone cannot the wind and rain withstand
And mighty mountain peaks in time reduce to sand.
What we were, we are.
What we had, we have.
A conjoined past imperishably present.
So when you walk the woods where once we walked together
And scan in vain the dappled bank beside you for my shadow,
Or pause where we always did upon the hill
to gaze across the land,
And spotting something, reach by habit for my hand,
And finding none, feel sorrow start to steal upon you,
Be still.
Close your eyes.
Breathe.
Listen for my footfall in your heart.
I am not gone but merely walk within you
(Nicholas Evans – The Smoke Jumper)
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