Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Goodwin, Edward L. 1952
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Portland Observer, 25 Dec 1952

E.L. Goodwin Dies Following Long Illness

Edward L. Goodwin 82, passed away at the Meitler home here Thursday morning
after a long illness.  Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at Neller
Funeral Home, Rev. Lowell McCarty and Rev. Keith Avery officiating.  Burial was
in Portland Cemetery.  Surviving is the widow, the former Lillie Hendee; and a
sister, Mrs. Ida Mills, of Lansing.

Mr. Goodwin was born on April 7, 1870 in the Christian Bend neighborhood of this
area.  He and Mrs. Goodwin would have been married 61 years in January.  Mr.
Goodwin was a son of the late Charles Goodwin Sr., who for years contributed
verse to the Review under the pen name of J.K. Swipes, “bard of Christian Bend”.

Bearers were Allen Hughes, Don French, Dee Meitler, William Toan, Raymond
Sandborn and Ernest Sandborn.  Soloist at the funeral was Dr. Donald A. Wright.

Mr. Goodwin was for many years associated with the business life of the
community.  As a young man he became interested in the monument business and for
many years operated his plant on Maple street.  It was in a building which had
originally been one of Portland’s earliest industries, the Hinman & Perrigo
wagon shop.  Mr. Goodwin also launched a washing machine business which occupied
the second floor of the plant.  Later he razed a part of the building, and from
that material built a plant on west side of US 16 bridge, where he later moved
his business.  The property which for so many years he had owned on Maple Street
was sold to the Kortes family, and thereon stands the new Sun Theatre.  Mr.
Goodwin several years ago sold the monument business to Don French.

Many Other Interests

Back before the 1920s there were many horse racing fans in Portland and Mr.
Goodwin’s “Goodwin Park,” along east bank of the Grand, just north of the
railroad, furnished local site for many a close sulky contest.  For years every
ball game played by Portland independent teams took place on the playing field
at Goodwin Park, and even after the land became the property of the late Alfonso
Sulpizio, the name “Goodwin Park” still stuck.

In Village Government

Mr. Goodwin was active in the affairs of municipal government years ago, and had
served on the village council, which gave way to the commission form of
government in 1919.  He had served on the village and township boards of review.
 He was also greatly interested in the field of building, and erected several
homes in the village.  Years ago he bought the old Newman property on US 16 east
of Crosby’s garage, transformed it into an apartment property and it was
operated under the lease as the “Old Homestead.”  The land behind home and
cabins was used for a miniature golf course.  He also owned a service station
standing on part of the plat now occupied by Crosby’s Pontiac and Buick Sales.

Among other landholdings Mr. Goodwin for years had the flats just north of the
local depot.  Part of the property he sold to the village as a probable site for
a sewage disposal plant.

He drew the plans for Portland’s Masonic temple, and built the north side
grocery building, now operated by William Smith.


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