Obituary of Marguerite Bebbington Goodwin
Marguerite Adele Bebbington Goodwin, 92, West Simsbury, formerly of Ashford, Eastford and Woodstock, passed away on May 21 with her family by her side. A faithful Christian, we rejoice that she is now with her Lord, free of the burdens of Parkinson's. Born February 18, 1929 to Thomas E. and Gladys H.(Morey) Bebbington, she was raised in an idyllic life on an Ashford dairy farm riding ponies through the fields and roads named after her family. She married Robert H. Goodwin upon his return home following his Naval service in WWII in 1948 and leaves him now to mourn her loss after 73 years of marriage. She also leaves her sons, Thomas R. Goodwin of Eastford and Simsbury, Donald C. Goodwin (Julie-Anne) of Woodstock Valley, and daughter Sharon Goodwin Gallerani (Michael) of West Simsbury with whom she made her home the last eight years. She was predeceased by her brother, Charles Bebbington. Her legacy is her quiet dedication to her faith and the education of children. For countless years she taught Sunday School, lead summer Bible schools, and served on education committees at both the Eastford Congregational and Baptist churches. A graduate of Windham High School, 1947, she was a para-educator in the Eastford Elementary School for many years, a leader in the Windham Head Start program, and an associate child care director at Humpty Dumpty preschool, seeing generations of children under her direction. She also handled the accounting and management of the family farm. She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman who lived her life in service to others. She selflessly made light of her Mayflower heritage and the legacy of her family before her in the Ashford community, but her character of diligence, resolve, and quiet determination were a testament to the generations that preceded her. She also leaves her 10 grandchildren, Andrea (Michael) Cardinale of Liverpool, NY, Melissa (Stephen) Richards of West Simsbury, Daniel (Michelle) Goodwin of Boston, Nicholas, Jonathan, and Elizabeth Goodwin of Woodstock Valley, and Dr. Catherine Gallerani (Frank) Herrington of Nashville,TN, Robert (Summer Strutt) of San Diego, David of Atlanta, and Thomas of Miami, Gallerani. Her pride was also in her great-grandchildren Raphael, Marguerite, Samuel and Vasare Cardinale of Liverpool, NY, Emmalee, Micah, and Lily Richards of West Simsbury, and Mary Cates and Charlotte Herrington of Nashville. She also leaves a cousin Norman Morey of Malta, NY, and numerous nieces and nephews. A graveside ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 25 at the Eastford Baptist Cemetery at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Eastford Baptist Church, 133 Union Road, Eastford, CT 06242 or the Farmington Valley VNA, 8 Old Mill Lane, Simsbury, CT 06070 whose kind care comforted her in her last years or The Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741