Jeffrey T. Goodwin, 63, of Altoona, WI, died July 15, 2019 in New Bedford, MA with his family at his side. He died from pneumonia and complications resulting from multiple myeloma.
Born in Cleveland, OH, Jeff grew up in Aurora, OH. He was preceded in death by his parents Gordon and Mary Goodwin. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Tess Goodwin, his sons Gus and Pete, and his brother Harold Goodwin. He is also survived by eight in-laws and 11 nieces and nephews.
Jeff lived a full life, competently balancing a successful career as a radiologist, a busy and happy family life, and a passion for boating, woodworking, and any other project that wandered his way.
Jeff came to medicine by a circuitous route. He studied chemistry at Middlebury College and obtained a masters degree in oceanography from MIT before attending medical school at Case Western Reserve University. He trained in diagnostic radiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and subsequently worked in the Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire from 1994 until he retired in 2016. He loved his clinical radiology career for the challenge of the work, his fellow radiologists and colleagues in other departments, and for the chance to meet and speak with many patients. Jeff held several administrative positions and was proudest of his contributions as chair of the Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire Department of Radiology, and as Chair of the Division of Community Radiology for the Mayo Clinic Health System in the upper Midwest from 2012 to 2016. His family was touched to hear from his colleagues that he was regarded as a talented physician and leader and appreciated for his humor, grace, and clear conviction.
Among his friends and family, Jeff was known for his generosity and infamous for his sharp wit and sense of adventure. A gifted storyteller, he loved making others laugh, often at his own expense. He took great pleasure in traveling to visit family, making frequent trips to visit his sons in Utah and Vermont. These trips were marked by laughter, many trips to the hardware store, and the completion of several house projects.
An energetic and industrious man, Jeff filled his personal time with projects that took advantage of his energy, taste for puttering, and love of tools. Jeff was a woodworker, a hobby he shared with his family and passed along to both his sons. Last year, the three of them gathered to build a new dining room table for the family. It was treasured time together. He inherited a love of fishing and boating from his father and grandfather. Later in life, these passions continued to bring him joy and helped him gather a group of wonderful friends for winter sailing trips and summer fishing expeditions..
He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2014, but approached the following years with great spirit and a clear focus on his priorities. Although the cancer delivered him many setbacks, he was determined to meet each with a matching high point. Highlights include many wonderful weeks with Tess on Cuttyhunk, a fishing trip together to Alaska, visits to family across the country, and road trips with friends. His enthusiasm, positive outlook, and resilience drew admiration from his friends and family and occasionally worried his doctors. In short, he continued to live as though he did not have cancer.
The family would like to thank the many kind and generous friends and caregivers who supported him during this time, especially Dr. Martha Lacy of the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Sandeep Basu and the Cancer Care team at the Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire.
In lieu of flowers to the family, please share them with someone dear to you. Memorials may be made to Friends of the Cuttyhunk Library, PO Box 10, Cuttyhunk, MA 02713 and to the LE Phillips Memorial Public Library, 400 Eau Claire St, Eau Claire, WI 54701. A service will be held September 7, 2019 on Cuttyhunk and a Celebration of Life will be held November 23, 2019 between 2-5 PM at Florian Gardens in Eau Claire. Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, www.saundersdwyer.com, will post the location and dates of the services.