Nick Goodvin

Nick was born in Ft. Worth Texas on March 22, 1947 to Charlie and Jean Goodvin. Nick’s family moved to Chula Vista, CA, for Charlie’s work in airplane manufacturing when Nick was 12. On the 2nd day of 7th grade at Hilltop Junior High School Nick met his lifelong best friend, Jim King. Jim confirms that they were like brothers, from the day they met.

Halfway through college Nick volunteered for the Army. He served as an M.P. stationed in West Berlin, Germany. Nick always believed that the reason he was sent to Germany instead of Vietnam in 1968, was that little old ladies really liked him. He had taken some German classes in high school, and suspected that the ladies who interviewed him when he enlisted put him down for Germany.

After the Army Nick graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering. Nick worked in California and Ohio before being transferred to work in Northern Alaska on the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline for Fluor Alaska. In Fairbanks, Alaska he met his future wife Sandra (Dziergas), where she was the secretary to the head of the materials department for Fluor Alaska Nick worked as far north as Prudhoe Bay, and he was the lead engineer for Pump Station 7. In Fairbanks, in January 1976, Nick and Sandy were married at 45 degrees below zero.

Nick later worked in California; Berwick, Pennsylvania (where daughter Rebecca was born); and Elma, Washington (where son Matthew was born). After that he was transferred to Bay City Texas, and finally moved to Longview, Sandy’s home town. He finished his engineering career with the City of Portland as Senior Public Works Inspector. He retired early, in 2005.

Nick loved reading (especially science fiction and alternate history), and all kinds of good food. For years he and Sandy were part of a group of good friends who held “international dinners,” experimenting with and enjoying foods from different countries and cultural traditions.

Nick loved traveling. He was proud of having visited all 50 states in the Union. Nick traveled to 16 different countries, including to Latvia with his brother Wes and niece Nadia, to attend his nephew’s Tim’s wedding in 2010.

In his later years, Nick was a faithful participant in water aerobics at the YMCA - “The Splashers.” Becoming a grandparent, and spending time with his two grandsons, was one of the recent highlights of Nick’s life.

Nick was preceded in death by parents Charlie and Jean Goodvin, and brothers Wes and Rex. Surviving Nick are his wife Sandy, daughter Rebecca (Eric Whitaker), son Matthew, and grandsons Noah and Miles Whitaker.