Lamar Harding Good

Lamar Harding Good, beloved youngest son of Joel Wrey Good and Emma Catherine Ott, passed away the 12th of September 2011 on his 90th birthday. He was born in Louise, Texas on the 12th of September 1921.

In 1927 his parents moved to Houston where he grew up in the Heights, attending the schools Eugene Fields Elementary, Hogg Junior High, and John H. Reagan High School where he graduated in 1939. After high school he worked for Levy Brothers and then a year for Humble Oil before enlisting in the Army Air Corps on the 19th of September 1942. He married Birdie Lorea Hunter on December 22 of that same year. On the 3rd of December 1943, after training in several locations in the states, he set sail on the Liberty ship, Stanley Baldwin, arriving in Bari, Italy on the 30th of December 1943. It wasn’t until after the war that he and his brother, Keith, realized that Keith had been on a Merchant Marine escort for his brother’s convoy. While in Italy, his job consisted of loading bombs on B-24’s at night so the planes would be ready to fly in the mornings. In April 1991, he and his wife returned to Italy for ceremonies dedicating a marker for the 450th Bomb Squad Group Base. More information about Lamar’s time with the 450th can be found in Lamar’s biography at http://www.450thbg.com/real/biographies/good/good.shtml

When he was discharged on the 24th of May 1945, he used the GI Bill to attend the University of Houston where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration on the 31st of May 1948. His part time work at Humble Oil while attending school became a full time job at graduation. In 1955 he went to work for Tennessee Gas and Transmission which eventually became known as Tenneco. After 30 years, he retired as a loan officer from the Tenneco Federal Credit Unit.

He was always active in politics and was a precinct judge while living in Southeast Houston and then in West University Place. He was also active in the American Legion in the Village, serving as Commander of Post 77. He donated many hours of his time working at the USO at the airport, volunteering at the Veteran’s Hospital, and finally being one of the regular ‘popcorn boys’ who made popcorn for the vets every week.

He and several other men were instrumental in getting the Heights World War II Memorial built in Houston, honoring the men and women who grew up in the Heights and served in the war.

Lamar was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Birdie Hunter, and his brothers Donald Blake Good, Carol John David Good, and Robert Keith Good. He is survived by his brother E. Boyce ‘Doc’ Good and his wife Mary, Keith’s wife Virginia, and Donald’s wife June, his daughter Katherine Good Weatherspoon and her husband William James and his grandchildren Mattie Weatherspoon and William Jeffrey Weatherspoon.

An interment service is to be conduted at eleven o’clock in the morning Thursday, the 15th of September, at Pilot Grove Cemetery in Yoakum, Texas, where Rev. Michael Seay, Pastor of Austin Street Baptist Church, is to officiate.

In lieu of customary remembrances, donations may be directed to the Wounded Warriors, 12672 Silicon Drive, Suite 105, San Antonio, TX, 78249; or The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, 510 East Anderson, Austin, TX, 78752.