Thomas J. Goodrich, Thomas J. Goodrich

Thomas J. Goodrich, 62, of Johnston, died of melanoma, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009 at Bright Kavanagh House in Des Moines. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Hamilton's on Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. The family will greet friends at the funeral home from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday evening.

Tom is survived by his wife Lynda; their 3 children, Stacy (Jeff) Raines of Newton, Anthony (Amanda) Goodrich of West Des Moines and Jennifer (Jon) Rubino of West Des Moines; 8 grandchildren; his father Lotus Goodrich of Coralville; brother Larry (Darlene) Goodrich of Gravis Mills, Mo.; and his sister, Marla (Wayne) Ross of Coralville; 5 nephews and 1 niece.

He was preceded in death by his mother and grandparents.

Tom was born in Grinnell to Lotus and Irene Goodrich and graduated from BGM High School, Brooklyn, in 1965. He attended the University of Iowa, and received degrees from Coe College, Cedar Rapids and St. Ambrose College, Davenport. On September 11, 1965 he married Lynda Ormiston.

In 1970, Tom graduated from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Academy in Bethesda, Md. He was domiciled in Eau Claire, Wis. until October 1974, when he accepted a transfer to Cedar Rapids. In December, 1979, Tom was named Postmaster of Clinton. In 1998, he became the Retail Manager for the Hawkeye District in Des Moines. In September 2002, Tom became Postmaster of Des Moines until retiring in January 2006. After his retirement, he served as an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix.

Tom was a member of the Clinton and Scott County Postmasters and NAPUS. He was a deacon and elder in the First Presbyterian Church, Clinton. Tom was a member of the Iowa High School Athletic Association, serving as a High School Official for football, basketball and soccer. He was a founding member of the Clinton YMCA Soccer League. Tom was a member of the Iowa Gun Dog Club and enjoyed fishing, skeet shooting and hunting.

Memorials may be directed to the family for a suitable tribute.