Dr. John T Goodgame Sr. MD's Obituary
GOODGAME, John T. Sr., MD
94, a longtime local resident and Clearwater surgeon
for over forty years, passed away Friday,
May 22, 2015. He was preceded in death by his
wife of 62 years, Bettie Wilder Goodgame, who
died in 2008. From 1954 to 1995, Dr. Goodgame
practiced General Surgery at Morton Plant Hospital.
A native of South Pittsburg, TN, Dr. Goodgame received his
undergraduate degree and medical training at Vanderbilt University
in Nashville, TN, where he also played on the University’s
baseball and football teams. As a naval officer, he worked
in Navy hospitals in Corpus Christi and Houston, TX and the
Public Health Service in Galveston, TX and Birmingham, AL. He
also worked two years in the VA Hospital in Jackson, MS. He
and his wife moved to Clearwater in 1954 where he began his
private surgical practice, and they raised five children.
Dr. Goodgame was a longtime member of Calvary
Baptist Church where he was a deacon and taught Sunday
School for many years. In the early 1970’s Dr. Goodgame and
his wife spent several summers as volunteer missionaries in
Uganda, Africa. He continued to actively support foreign missions
as well as local and national evangelical organizations
including Campus Crusade for Christ, the C.S Lewis Society,
the Institute for Creation Research, Prison Fellowship, and the
Christian Medical and Dental Association. Cherishing precious
memories of him are five children: J. Thomas Goodgame, Jr.
(Beth) of Belleair; Richard Wilder Goodgame (Susan) of Galveston,
TX; Lynda Goodgame of Franklin, TN; Brenda Williams
(Al) of Mt. Juliet, TN; and Brooks Ransom Goodgame (Barbara)
of Snellville, GA. Dr. Goodgame, known affectionately as
“Dado”, leaves an enduring legacy of loving the Lord and his
family to 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Survivors
also include a sister, Brooksie McCay of Athens, TN; a
brother, Charles Goodgame of Chattanooga, TN; and, a brother-
in-law, Fred Wilder of Gainesville, GA along with many nieces
and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 30,
at 4 pm at Calvary Church, 110 N. McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater,
FL, 33759. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations
to Missions Fund at Calvary Church, 110 N. McMullen
Booth Road, Clearwater, FL, 33759 or The C.S. Lewis Society,
2430 Welbilt Blvd., Trinity, FL, 34655.
View Guest Book at www.tampabay.com/obits
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