Gene Isom Goodwin, 84, died Sunday, September 17, 2017 of natural causes. Gene was born in Grove, Oklahoma on January 20, 1933, the son of Ira and Ruby Goodwin. Gene graduated from Granger High School in 1951 and married his high school sweetheart, Janet Pearce, on September 15th that same year. They celebrated 64 years of marriage together before Janet passed away in January of 2016. Gene joined the Navy the fall of 1951 and served for 4 years, including time on the USS Kearsarge in the Korean War. After two years of college and two children, he chose the U.S. Coast Guard as his life's career. His early Coast Guard career was as an electrician. He served at many units, including a LORAN station in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, a patrol boat in Hawaii, the cutter Chase in Viet Nam, and a buoy tender in Seward, Alaska. He attained the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 and finished his career of 24 years as a Coast Guard inspector for several ships being built for the Coast Guard, including the Polar Star, the largest ice breaker in the world at the time. Life in the Coast Guard included travel all around the country, besides Hawaii, Washington and Oregon, he was stationed in New Orleans, Boston and Seward, Alaska. He retired from the Coast Guard and opened the Blue Mountain Gun Shop in La Grande, Oregon in 1979. He also worked as a project manager for Pacific Seafood in Tacoma, Washington refurbishing commercial fishing vessels. Gene was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Gene loved hunting, gunsmithing, travel, bluegrass music and reading. He was a dedicated member of the Lutheran Church, attending Zion Lutheran in La Grande, Oregon for over 25 years, and was involved in many social programs through the church, making many people's lives better. Gene is survived by his son Steve Goodwin and wife Tami of Oshkosh, his daughter Sue and husband Harold Faust of Seward, Alaska; seven grandchildren: Summer Bjarnarson and husband Brandon, Brianne Holmstadt and husband Joshua, Pearce Goodwin and wife Kayla, Holly Goodwin, Matt Faust and wife Arran, Jeanie Moseman and husband Nick, and Kenny Faust and fiancé Darcy Sturges; eleven great-grandchildren: Madelyn, Jeron and Flynn Bjarnarson, Olivia, Scarlett and Maggie Holmstadt, Carson Goodwin, Ailsa Faust, and Jonas, Maisie and Holden Moseman. He is also survived by his sister Joyce Talbott and husband Don of Woodland, Washington and many nieces and nephews. Gene's life will be celebrated Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Oshkosh at 1:00 pm with Father Chris Arnold presiding. Military honors will be rendered. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to your local parish or favorite charity in Gene's memory. The family gives heartfelt thanks for the patience, compassion and dedicated care given to Gene by the staff of Bella Vista, Oshkosh, especially Krystal Bittner and Lori Dewitz, Affinity Visiting Nurse Richard Domiter, Dr. Jon Carlson and Michelle Thede at Aurora Medical Center Oshkosh, Pastors Jon and Tabitha Gallatin of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, and Deacon Sandy Muinde of Trinity Episcopal Church.