Shirley Goddard

TRAVERSE CITY — Shirley Goddard, 77, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully Monday, Aug. 23, 2010, surrounded by her three loving children.Shirley was born in Sault St. Marie on Nov. 26, 1932, to first generation immigrants from Finland, the late Eino and Aili (Rouhanen) Honkanen. She married the late James Goddard in November 1952 in Traverse City.Shirley was proud of her Finnish heritage and had many stories to tell of her parents' hard life in the harsh lumber camps of the Upper Peninsula, where many Finnish immigrants had settled. She always considered Brimley her home, but during the Depression her parents were forced to move to Detroit to find work. She grew up in Highland Park, but spent each summer in the Upper Peninsula.After high school, Shirley went on to obtain a nursing degree from Wayne State University. Part of her training required her to work at the Traverse City State Hospital. While in Traverse City, she met and married the love of her life, Jim Goddard, of Traverse City. After marrying, they lived in Big Rapids while Jim was obtaining a teaching degree at Ferris State University. They eventually settled back in Traverse City, where she worked as a dedicated RN at Munson Medical Center for 43 years. At the end of her career, she worked at Munson's drug and rehabilitation unit, where she cared for those suffering from addiction.Shirley raised her children on a beautiful home on East Bay and instilled a love of the water and outdoors in each of them. After losing her beloved husband in 1980 and taking care of her aging parents, Shirley moved from Traverse City and built a home on Elk Lake. She enjoyed the water and her home was a peaceful sanctuary. The Finnish ritual of taking a sauna was regularly enjoyed by her family and friends with a dip in the lake or a snowbank in the winter. Summers were spent mostly outside in the water swimming or boating. Shirley enjoyed reading and maintaining the flowers around her home. In the winters she was a regular swimmer at the Grand Traverse Resort. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Elk Rapids for many years.Surviving Shirley are her children, Shelley Carroll (55), Michael Goddard (52), and spouse Debbie (Swainston) Goddard (50), and Valerie Goddard (48); grandchildren, James Goddard, Justin Goddard and Michael Carroll; great-grandchild, Sceney Goddard.Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Aili (Rouhanen) and Eino Honkanen; her husband, Jim Goddard; and mother-in-law, Bernadine Goddard.A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 27, with visitation one hour prior at the First Presbyterian Church, 404 Spruce Street, Elk Rapids. The Rev. Sandra Murray will serve as officiant. The family will host a light lunch following the funeral at Shirley's Elk Rapids home. A private family burial will take place at Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens.Memorial contributions may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church of Elk Rapids or the Father Fred Foundation.The family is being served by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home; www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com

Shirley Goddard

August 23, 2010