Keith A. Goodrich
Exeter – Keith A. Goodrich, 52, of Exeter, died suddenly Tuesday, Dec. 10th, 2013.
A lifelong resident, of Exeter, he was born on May 3, 1961 the son of the late William S. Goodrich and Gwendolyn E. (Gage) Goodrich.
Keith was an Arborist and owned and operated Goodrich Tree Service for over 30 years. He was a graduate of Exeter High School, and had recently celebrated his one year of sobriety. Keith loved the woods, Bow Lake, the ocean and sunrises. He is and always will be known as “The Tree Man.” He will be remembered for his generosity, humor, charm and spirit.
He is survived by his daughter, Jenna Goodrich of Chicago and his son, Adam Goodrich of Santa Barbara, CA whom he loved deeply. He is also survived by his brother, Brian Boyers, his sister, Lauren (Bradt) Goodrich, and his many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his brother Kevin Goodrich and his sister Lisa Boyers.
Visiting hours are on Friday, December 13 from 5-8 p.m. and a Celebration of Keith’s Life will be held on Saturday, December 14 at 11:00 a.m. at Stockbridge Funeral Home, 141 Epping Road, Exeter.
In Lieu of flowers send donations to Southeast Land Trust of Exeter, NH.
Telephone (603) 778-6088;
Keith's Eulogy
“GOODY”
On Thursday evening around 9:00PM, I received a call at home from Jenna and Adam; Keith’s children. We said Hello and how are you? Are you okay? I haven’t talked with them in a very long time.
The reason they called, was to ask if I would be willing to stand up here today and say something about their Dad! They know that he & I were very good friends and they hoped I could do that. I said that would be nice and that I had already written something on Wednesday morning and had planned to speak anyways. We talked a little longer and they had to make more calls, so we said good bye. I sat down and told my wife what they said and she said that was nice of them. I said yes ; very thoughtful, and respectful I thought. As I thought about it, I was thinking, did I write enough on Wednesday, was it going to be okay? Do I need to write more? The pressure and then it hit me, the phone call, that act of kindness, thoughtfulness, and respect. That’s it! That’s who Keith Goodrich was; kind, thoughtful, respectful, always thinking about others. It felt really good to me, for them to ask me to do this. These two young kids to call me and ask. Then I thought how nice that it made me feel, knowing that a big piece of Keith’s heart was in both these kids.
To me that speaks volumes above anything I could write, that’s who Keith was; that person that would make that call. So thank you, Jenna and Adam. You both have kind compassionate hearts just like you DAD!
On Tuesday afternoon, I was reading the paper at home, an article, I can’t really remember what or who wrote it, but this small quote just stuck in my mind all night. I went to bed and tried to sleep, but couldn’t really; too many things were going through my mind. I woke up Wednesday morning and wrote down my thoughts and these are pretty much how I wrote that first draft with the exception of a few typo’s my wife corrected!
Keith A. Goodrich
(Goody)
May 3, 1961- Dec. 10, 2013
“There really are no words…
But words there must be.”
On Tuesday morning, when I received a call that Keith had died, I was driving; I pulled over in shock and disbelief, with a numbing feeling. So many thoughts were going through my mind, a lifetime of Memories, 40 years of Friendship and Fun! A book full of Chapters! The book of Keith, Keith’s World, Keith’s complex World! Call it what you will!
Junior High, Eva’s Luncheonette, Railroad Tracks, the Weathervane, Locust Ave., Exeter High School, Moe’s, Allman Brothers, Frank Zappa, Heidi the Beagle dog, getting Heidi stoned after school, His brother Kevin & Sue Lannon, Lisa his sister, All his Saabs, Karen Freeman, Liz Reyes, Colcord’s Store, Camping, Canoeing, the Hampton house, the Shed, Layla, Goodrich Tree Service, the Stratham house, Wedding in California, Lobster and Champagne, Jenna and Adam, the Newfield’s house, Granite walls, Granite posts, the Workshop, Divorce, the Blister, Brentwood University, Governor, Cracker, Cheney & T, Chris Markie, Flying from the Bucket Truck 52 ft., Bicycle, coffee, pack of Fags (that’s what he called his cigarettes), Gwen, Will, Brian, Lauren, Sunrises at the Beach, Ginger, Locust Ave., May 3rd, Beech Hill Park and Tuesday, Dec. 10th “I Woke up Dead”!!!
These are just words from some of the chapters of Keith’s Complex World, the Book. What I remembered, what flashed through my mind!
Each of us has a book of Keith, full of these words, Words that keep us Smiling, make us Cry, make us Laugh and help us to get through this time! We all know he would not want us to Cry today or any other day! He would want us to Celebrate, Party, Laugh and share good times! Have Fun, have a Few and make another chapter in Keith’s World!
Goody and I share the same Birthday, May 3rd! A bond we have had since the first day we met in the 7th grade, almost 40 years ago! We celebrated on that day so many times, so many Laughs, Parties, Fun, Drinks, hard to believe sometimes. A true friend, like a brother, better than a brother sometimes! A lifelong Friend!
Was Goody perfect? Absolutely not, He was the guy who when he fell down (literally sometimes!) he would get back up brush himself off, make no excuses and move on to another chapter!! And laugh about it! One thing he was though was a hard working, compassionate, fun loving Spirit that always brought a smile and positive energy to everything he did!
Jenna and Adam (Skid)
Your Dad wasn’t always perfect by any means, but he loved you two more than any other thing! He was so proud that he had such beautiful children, that he was a Father! It was sometimes hard for him to show it, but he would always tell me that you were the best thing he ever did! He loves you two so very much and will always watch over you! You are the Sunrise to his every Day!
I recently had Goody do some tree work for me, 14 Trees to trim and prune. 10 Pines and 4 Oak Trees. As always he did a great job! As I looked out at them the other Day, I was thinking how nice they looked even though he left the mess for me to clean up! Vintage Goody!
He called last week looking for some money and I met him at Fuller’s to pay him, only thing was he still had one more big Oak to trim and prune, but he would have to climb it because he couldn’t get the Bucket Truck near it! In true Goody form, he convinced me to pay him in full and he would finish it soon he said! So I gave him all the money, which was not a problem because it was Goody! My friend!
On Tuesday, while sitting in my car what went through my mind was how hard Keith was probably Laughing that he finally got me back for a prank I pulled on him a few years ago!!! He had my $400.00 bucks and I have a large Oak that still needs trimming!! I’m not sure if I will ever have it done, as I look out at that tree now and a big Smile comes to me with the thought that my good Friend Keith “got me” in the final Chapter!!
I will miss him very much, but will never forget the life we had together!
That oak tree stands tall and proud in my yard all by itself! Some scarred branches, some broken branches, storm damaged from a couple of years ago! Not perfect, but standing tall and proud. That large oak tree is Keith Goodrich, standing tall and proud, surrounded by a lot of other trees!
Rest in Peace my Friend!!
Gallanto!