RICHFIELD SPRINGS - John Dale Goodrich, 82, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, June 27, 2021, in Cooperstown Center, Cooperstown.

He was born on Nov. 18, 1938, in Cortland, son of the late John Hiram and Ruby Foote Goodrich.

John was raised in Nunda and was a graduate of Nunda High School. He furthered his education at the School of Agriculture, Cornell University where he was in the men's glee club. After his graduation he enlisted in the US Army where he served with the 8th Infantry Division in Germany. He was honorably discharged in October of 1963 obtaining the rank of PFC. On June 26, 1966, he was united in marriage to the former Margaret Kenyon in Bloomville.

For a short time he taught agriculture at South Kortright Central School before purchasing the Earl Farm on Earl Road in the town of Warren. He and his wife successfully operated the farm for twenty-six years. In 1991 he started the Goodrich Trucking Company and operated that business until his retirement in 2011.

Mr. Goodrich had a strong belief in God and was a member of the Church of Christ Uniting in Richfield Springs. John had a good sense of community; he was a former member of the Richfield Springs Rotary Club, a past president of the Herkimer County Farm Bureau, a member of the Herkimer County Soil and Water Conservation Committee for many years and had served on the Richfield Springs Central School, Board of Education.

All who knew him will never forget a caring, hardworking, down to earth man with a good sense of humor. Any conversation with him was straight and to the point yet you always felt his warmth and friendship whenever you were with him. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and family.

He is survived by his devoted wife of fifty-five years, Margaret; son, John E. Goodrich and his wife Shannon of Elmhurst, Illinois; two daughters, Karen Owczarczak and her husband Jeff of San Jose, California, Sara Goodrich of Cooperstown; brother, James Goodrich of North Prairie, Wisconsin; two sisters, Ruth Tuttle of Schenectady, Marge Lehman and her husband Bruce of Andover; six grandchildren, Nicole, Lucas, Reese, Jack, Henry and Max; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Calling hours for Mr. Goodrich will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, July 5, in J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, 40 West James Street; Richfield Springs.

Funeral service will take place on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m., in the Church of Christ Uniting, Richfield Springs with the Reverend Casey Bradley, Pastor officiating.

Interment will be on Wednesday at 1 p.m., at Riverside Cemetery, Bloomville.

Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the Church of Christ Uniting, Richfield Springs, PO Box 896, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.