Fred S. Goffrier

FRED S. GOFFRIER 1933 - 2017 Mr. Goffrier was born on March 22, 1933 and passed away on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Mr. Goffrier was a resident of Arizona at the time of passing.. He joined the Masonic Lodge at their invitation and dutifully followed his Freemason oaths--showing tolerance, respect, kindness and caring. Because Fred's canine companions gave him unconditional love and enriched his life to the end, he would be honored to have donations flow to the Humane Society of Tucson on his behalf. Born to William and Maryann Goffrier in the spring of 1933, Fred S. Goffrier grew up in Kewanee, Illinois as the youngest of three siblings; Rosemary, Bill Jr. and Marion. All exceptionally attractive and talented, the "Goffrier" children would sing and entertain locally, eventually producing a family-treasured recording of their own. Fred's parents and adoring sisters cultivated a kind and gentle attitude toward all things, strengthening forever Fred's love for animals and humankind. Never as a boy, or adult for that matter, was he without a faithful canine companion, he'd even considered becoming a veterinarian during his first year at college. But it was his elder brother Bill Jr.'s service to this nation as a B-24 co-pilot during World War II that would stand as the family's pillar of patriotism and propel Fred to proudly enlist in the U.S. Air Force. Airman Goffrier, a young aircraft mechanic arrived at Williams Air Force Base in Chandler, Ariz. in the early '50s and quickly discovered his deep passion for aviation. As a crew chief on the F-86, he traveled abroad harvesting an abundance of memories. From sharing a runway with the Republic of China's Chiang Kai-shek to bunkmates keeping a rambunctious baboon in their hooch, Fred's tales were mesmerizing. For a young wide-eyed American in Okinawa, waking up to the overpowering stench of a barely-sober roomie that had fallen into a benjo ditch was storytelling fodder! Fred met his bride of 63 years at a Chandler ice skating rink where Melba Mills was timidly perched watching a slightly clumsy G.I. on blades trying to impress. Melba reached for his dog tags as he made a pass and his first words to her were "I bet you can't pronounce my last name." She smiled and gave it her best. Fred and Melba married in 1954 and their love only grew stronger during their military separations. Sweet love letters of longing for time together referencing their favorite song "You Belong to Me" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j9jSafX_sc passed in the mail until Fred honorably separated from the service. The two settling in Arizona. Fred worked tirelessly to support his family that had grown to three with the birth of their first daughter, Cynthia. He supplemented the long hours he worked as a gas station attendant and vehicle mechanic with a graveyard shift at a cotton ginning operation. By the time their second daughter Teresa arrived, Fred and Melba were the owners of a small white house with oak flooring on Galveston Street in Chandler. Melba's brothers, all good men and invested in the Chandler community, embraced Fred. He joined the Masonic Lodge at their invitation and dutifully followed his Freemason oaths--showing tolerance, respect, kindness and caring. It was a perfect fit for Fred. Fred was soon on the federal government's civil service payroll as an employee at the U.S. Navy's Litchfield Park prompting the family to relocate to Tempe, Ariz. Again, Fred was surrounded by aircraft, relishing the raw power of a jet engine in afterburn. It was 1965 when the Department of Defense decided to consolidate all of the Services' aircraft storage facilities. Fred and his family would soon follow the Navy aircraft migration from Litchfield Park to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center or MASDC at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. The family had rounded out to six by this time, having added his only son, Fred Jr. and their youngest, Becki. Fred was in heaven, he was getting paid to work at the Air Force's "Boneyard," a sea of silver airpower! His Air Force civil service career flourished, developing life-long friendships as they stood side-by-side regenerating aircraft for the Vietnam War. His life of honesty and integrity and how he applied it to his job was recognized and rewarded. Though always humble and kind, Fred was a standout in his attention to detail and was transferred to Planning before being promoted to a Quality Assurance position years prior to retiring in 1986 from the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (currently 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group). Fred never returned to the base after retirement, instead focusing his attention on finishing his cabin at Parker Canyon Lake. The couple spent long weekends there tailor measuring, hand sawing and fastening together every corner of their empty-nest getaway until finished. It quickly became a favorite meeting place for Fred, family and friends to escape the desert heat, eat fresh-caught fish and well...tell some stories over a salted cold beer or whiskey. One story frequently prompted by the sight of a very l-a-r-g-e, heavy, wood-framed canoe Fred had restored with buckets of resin and fiberglass and stored underneath the cabin, was always worth a another listen: It was summer and the irresistible calmness of the lake spurred a rare launch of the blue behemoth floating device (Fred's canoe). Life was great--Captain Fred sharing time with sweet Melba. It wasn't long before a summer storm appeared on the horizon. With the wind picking up, the safety-minded Fred figured he needed to turn the canoe back to shore. With Melba balancing out the aft, Fred feverishly worked to dock his "Titanic" ahead of the waves. What surely felt like hours later, Fred was feeling more like a stalled bobber. Getting nowhere and quickly losing steam, he turned around, smiled (when he really wanted to cry), and noted Melba holding on tight with both hands to her sun parasol unwittingly creating drag against Fred's rowing efforts. Purchasing property on Tucson's east side, Fred's pioneering spirit became evident. He excelled at ranching on a small-scale, trying his hand at raising cattle, horses, goats, pigs and the smaller edibles like chickens. A perfect plan as he had four children and the neighborhood clan who were absolutely delighted to help feed and water. Who needed a petting zoo when they could visit the Goffrier's. Adding additional income as well as real estate to bolster his assets, Fred studied and became a licensed agent and broker for Home State Realty. He focused heavily in the Vail, Ariz. area enjoying picking up properties deemed as scrub but now diamonds as the result of the community's blossoming popularity. Hunting was a right of passage in the family. If anyone intended to marry one of Fred's daughters, by golly they better know how to put food on the table and either hunt or fish. After all, his ladies knew how. Old enough to go to school, old enough to have a whistle placed around their neck (if they hadn't mastered the technique) and be the canyon bird dog. Good times! One of Fred's proudest moments was registering Becki's trophy Coues whitetail with Boone and Crockett. We'll never know if Fred's motive was to get future son-in-laws alone to see if they could pass muster in the great outdoors or be a pack mule if Fred bagged a deer. Thankfully, they passed and Fred introduced his passion to the grandsons that followed, all now responsible huntsmen. As Fred reached his late 70s he'd clean his hunting rifles and fishing gear for the last time and tuck them away with his scrapbook of memories. A bulging book of photos not for the faint, but full of happier times between Fred and Dale, a true family friend. Fred succumbed to pneumonia on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 having fought a difficult battle, ending his journey surrounded by family. He is survived by the forever love of his life Melba, to whom he dedicated his being; and his four children. By example, this kind and forgiving man taught his children to be hardworking, reverent, decent to others and above all else, independent--never to rely on anyone else. He did not believe in handouts. Fred was the ultimate role model and mentor to his grandchildren; Jonathan and Aimee; Ashley and Mike; Jennifer and Joshua, Thomas, Alexander and Alexandra; and Christi and Britani. Family stories and photographs of this strong man will perpetuate his memory for seven great-grandchildren; Steven and Jonathan; Tauren, Ryland and Temperance; and Jordan and Dexter. For the generations following Fred, please carry his memory forward and remember the words he lived by: "It is a poor man who has not honor, but before you do a deed, think how you will think back upon it when old age comes. Do nothing that will shame you." Louis L'Amour He is also survived by his brother Bill Goffrier Jr. (we salute you), he lives in Kansas. Because Fred's canine companions gave him unconditional love and enriched his life to the end, he would be honored to have donations flow to the Humane Society of Tucson on his behalf. https://hssaz.org Family and friends will gather at Fred and Melba's cabin to share memories of how he made everyone's life better when they entered his. Thank you Cynthia for bearing the family torch and the lengthy, sleepless vigils on a hospital cot holding his hand; thank you Becki for your compassionate care and deep love in times of need; thank you Fred for your gentle spirit and coming to the rescue in dad's stead; thank you Frank for the home-cooked meals and for loving him as if blood; thank you Thomas for your patience and returning his love for you; and many thanks to the caregivers that allowed Fred to remain home with his Melba. Farewell Fred S. Goffrier, your legacy of passionate love for Melba and dedication to raising your children to be decent, responsible people will never be forgotten. We love you dad.