James Goodrick

James Leroy Goodrick was called home to our Father on January 11, 2010 at the age of 84. He was born to Fay and Clara Goodrick on November 24, 1925 in Wilson, Wyoming and was the great-grandson of Nick Wilson. As a native of Teton County he grew up on a ranch at the base of Teton Pass. He was taught to work hard, go to school and to play hard when time would allow. He had 2 brothers and 5 sisters, Mabel, Elivina, Vida, Devon, and Aril. He married Barbara Lois Crary in 1957. Their children were Gail, Gloria and Robert Goodrick; he had 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. He was very close to one grand child Dalton Hubbard Goodrick. He would watch him when he was a little boy and love the time with him. He made him a high chair so he could sit at the table with him for breakfast. He taught him how to drink coffee and watch for deer to come in the yard. He loved to go hunting with him and was so proud of him. As a child James's friends called him Jimmy. He and his friends loved to play pranks. He told a story about a time he and some boys in the valley took an old milk cow and put it in the church steeple, it took them all night to get it up there but they did. The folks found out about it and they had a hard time trying to get the cow out of there. The boys laughed and laughed. He was full of funny stories. Jimmy loved to dance. He would go to town and dance all night long. That is if there wasn't a good fight to have. He said "going to town to dance or fight, he didn't care which one, both were fun". Jimmy loved to hunt he was a guide for Dee Goodrick and Burns Fairen for many years. He could spot any animal from far away. He knew the country and he knew the winter and he knew where the animals were going to be almost all the time. As a native, he lived off the land. He fished, hunted, trapped and had a big garden. That's how you made it here in those days. Jimmy loved to fish on Jackson Lake. He tied his own flies and made his own pop gear. One of the beaver that he had trapped and tanned him took to the state fair in Cheyenne and placed first in the cleanest and second for the largest. The pelts he sold bought his boat to fish on Jackson Lake. He was a very proud man, always wanting to do for his self and his family. Jimmy was called to duty for the Army in 1940. He also fought in World War II and the Korean War. As a younger man he worked for Miss Hunt for years in Wilson on her ranch. He worked at the Chevy garage in Jackson and for the Town of Jackson on the street sweeper and snow removal until he retired. James is survived by his son Robert (Margaret) Goodrick, daughters Gail Goodrick and Gloria Ritchie; 5 grand children and 4 great-grandchildren. Funeral service will be at the valley Mortuary, Friday, January 15, 2010 at 12:00 noon. A visitation will be Thursday, January 14 from 5-7:00 P.M. at the funeral home and an hour prior to the service on Friday.

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