Goodwin "Goody" Garfield Gardner

Goodwin Garfield Gardner, 92, of DeKalb Junction, died peacefully on Friday, August 26, 2022 at Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

Goody, as he was known to most, was born to the late Leon and Myldred (Mott) Gardner on June 7, 1930 in DeKalb Junction. He attended schools in DeKalb as a child, then began working in the building and construction trades. In 1950, he and Bettie McRobbie married. While they raised their two boys, Daniel and David, Goody worked throughout the North Country as a carpenter. He built homes and furnishings for many in the area, partnering with friend and fellow carpenter Ernie Locke for the last 20+ years of his career. Bettie predeceased Goodwin in 1986. He later remarried Muriel VanGelder, who predeceased him as well in 2009. 

When Goody was younger, he enjoyed canoeing and canoe racing. He built a cabin on Cranberry Lake in the 1960’s where many precious memories were made with family and friends over the years.

Goodwin’s passion for woodworking continued after his retirement in 1992. Seldom idle and continuously curious, he blessed his loved ones with countless pieces he made, from dressers and cribs to beautifully crafted boxes and cabinets. He preferred to be active, not settling for a rocking chair, and always had his next project lined up, usually something with a small detail or feature he hadn’t tried his hand at before. He even got into violin making and repair, a fiddle player himself. 

Fueled by his curiosity he loved to travel. Whether it was a small trip to Ausable Chasm or a big adventure abroad, seeing new places and meeting new people brought Goody great joy. 

Meticulous attention to detail shone through in Goodwin’s work, and likewise in his life. He will be remembered as a quiet soul and a gentle, mindful man. For family birthdays, he would be in charge of dessert - cake, from scratch, one of the trusted recipes out of his notebook. For other gatherings he would show up with a treat from a recipe that just seemed like it needed to be made when he came across it in the Farm & Garden section of Sunday’s paper.

Goodwin is survived by his sons Daniel (Roberta) Gardner and David (Sheila) Gardner, all of DeKalb Junction; grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) Kelsey Adams (Raphael and Indio), Kerry McKenzie (Mitchell, Annabella, and Thomas), Kyle, Zoe Schryver (Allison, Aida, Gavin, Gage, and Goodwin), Katherine (Isaac, Maya, and Felix), Samuel, Zachary-Isaac, Rosemary, and Zane. Also surviving are stepchildren Eric VanGelder, Bethany (Gary) McMullen, Ellen VanGelder, and stepson-in-law, Tukuzo-Maxwell Mlamo; and step grandchildren, Qanda-Debra, Qondisa-David, Phoebe, Jasmine, Gabriel, Matthew, Andrew, and Betsy.

In addition to his parents Leon and Mildred, his wife Betty, and later his wife Muriel, Goodwin is preceded in death by siblings Leon, Gloria Kanitz, and Elwood; a grandson Ian, and a step-daughter Barbara Mlamo.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, September 1, 2022 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm at the O’Leary Funeral Home, Canton. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home at 2:00 pm with Lay Pastor Martha Helmer officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery, Risley Road, DeKalb Junction.

Memories and condolences may be shared online at www.olearyfuneralservice.com. Arrangements for Goodwin Garfield “Goody” Gardner are under the care of the O’Leary Funeral Service of Canton.

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