John F. Gooding, Sr.

John Frederick Gooding, Sr., 69, died Friday, October 27, 2006, at St. Joseph’s Hospital after a long illness. He was born in Savannah, GA, on July 7, 1937, and was reared in Coosawhatchie, SC. Mr. Gooding was predeceased by his father, John Jacob Gooding; and mother, Frederica Davis Gooding; son, John Frederick Gooding, Jr.; cousins reared by Mr. and Mrs. Gooding, Rev. Morris B. Davis, Robert J. Peterman, William C. Davis, and Mary D. Parham.

He was a graduate of Ridgeland High School and attended The Citadel. He served in the National Guard in Jasper County, SC, and retired from the United States Department of Agriculture with thirty years of service as a federal food inspector. He was currently employed by Savannah Portside Refrigeration for export documentation. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Temple where he served as a Sunday School teacher for years and was an active Deacon. He also headed the Shut-In Ministry for the church.

He was married to Julia Ann Easterlin Gooding for forty-seven years. He had two daughters, Ann G. Chamberlain Warren, and Amy G. Coates Michael. He had six grandchildren, Warren Allison Chamberlain, IV, Caitlin Erica Chamberlain, Julie Lynn Coates, Jamie Elizabeth Coates, Jonathan Michael Coates, and Jackie Ann Coates.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday, October 29, 2006, at Fox and Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m., Monday, October 30, 2006, at Calvary in Savannah with Dr. John Connell and Rev. Wayne Watts officiating.

Honorary pallbearers will be Deacons of Calvary in Savannah.

Burial will be 3:00 p.m. in the Ridgeland Cemetery, Ridgeland, SC.