Rodney L. Goodwin

He was born on August 27, 1946 in Pell City, Alabama and moved with his family to Fresno at the age of nine where he remained a life-long resident. He married his high-school sweetheart, Donna, on April 3, 1965 and together they raised their beautiful daughters, Kim and Leslie. Rod took great pride in his 43 year career at PG&E. He was a dedicated and loyal employee and made many lasting friendships during those years.

He was a kind and compassionate man whose greatest pleasures centered on spending time with his family. In earlier years, he loved to hunt and fish and more recently his interest turned to farming, "he was learning to become a gentleman farmer at the ripe old age of 64," his wife says fondly. He also loved to travel having recently driven across the United States. He enjoyed many trips to Pismo and our great national parks with his children and grandchildren. They were a source of great pride and joy.

Rod, also known as Ron, Ronnie and Rodney Lee was a quiet and stoic man with the heart of a lion. You knew the love he felt for his family ran deep and those feelings were mutual. We will miss the strength of his love and physical presence in our lives, but we know he will remain with us in our hearts forever.

He is survived by his wife, Donna Goodwin; his daughter, Kim Niederfrank; and her husband, Kevin; his daughter, Leslie Mattos and her husband, Jim; his grandchildren, Kayla and Kyle Niederfrank, McKenna and Jared Mattos; and his sister Diane Colebrook all of Fresno.

Visitation will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, on Wednesday, August 3, 2011, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Followed by Recitation of the Holy Rosary, at 7:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. on Thursday, August 4, 2011, at 10:00 a.m.

Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the Stanford Medical Center.