Mr. Douglas Owen Gooch, Sr., age 92, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013 at Mitchell-Hollingsworth Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after a brief stay and an extended illness. Visitation will be from Noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 at Elkins Funeral Home, Florence. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. with Dr. Kenny Barfield officiating. Burial will be in Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Gooch was born on September 7, 1920 in Lauderdale County, Alabama to Percy and Ollie Joiner Gooch. He graduated from Central High School and was a member of Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ.
Mr. Gooch was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Margaret Chowning (Lawrence, “Doc”); and two brothers, Ray Gooch (Marian Parr) and Harold Gooch (Mary Ellen Martin).
He is survived by the love of his life, Mary Jane Collins Gooch, devoted wife of 66 years – “Collins” to him until his death. Additional survivors include two sons, Douglas O. Gooch, Jr. and wife, Paula Ross, of Florence, Alabama and Dennis C. Gooch and wife, Elayne Paradise Gooch, of Salt Lake City, Utah; six grandchildren, Matthew Gooch of Charlotte, North Carolina, Melissa Gooch Weyman (Mike) of Easley, South Carolina, Dennis C. Gooch, Jr. of San Rafael, California; Sharon Gooch Souvvannarath (Jimmy) of Dallas, Texas, Jason Gooch of Atlanta, Georgia, and Chad Gooch of Denver, Colorado; three great-grandsons; three great-granddaughters; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.
Before entering the U. S. Army in 1939, Mr. Gooch was the Golden Gloves Champion of the SE United States. In 1945 he left the service to pursue additional educational opportunities at Grawhorl Medical Laboratory School. He completed his internship at ECM Hospital. He re-entered the Army on active duty in 1955. The family moved to Daytona Beach, Florida in 1971 upon his retirement from the military. There, he worked for the Daytona Beach Pollution Control Lab until his complete retirement in 1985. Florence, Alabama once again became their beloved home. He enjoyed his membership and service in Senior Friends, RSVP, the Central Community Center, The Central Civitan Club and the Sportsman’s Club. He was also a Mason. In 1997 he was inducted into the Alabama Senior Citizen’s Hall of Fame. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, Braves baseball and gardening. He never lost his love of traveling or enjoying a good joke.
The Gooch family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Mitchell-Hollingsworth, Hospice of the Shoals, and special friends, Phillip and Hilda Darby and Tony and Betty Burkhart.
Pallbearers will be Matthew Gooch, Dennis Gooch, Jr., Dr. Mike Weyman, Dane Weyman, Nicholas Weyman and Jack Weyman. Honorary pallbearers are Phillip Darby, Larry Collins, and Bobby McCormick.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Central Community Center, Central Civitan Club, of the Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ.
Elkins Funeral Home of Florence would like to invite you to sign the online registry at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com.
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