Kenneth Howard Goodman

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August 15, 1922 to April 8, 2024 (101 years)

Relation to Private Reset
Kenneth Howard Goodman, the brother of Louis Harold Goodman, the father of Private, the spouse of Private, the child of Ellis Robert Katz, the son of Ethel Miller Katz, the sister of Harry Miller, the father of Eleanor Sylvia Miller Schwartz, the mother of Harold "Hal" A. Schwartz Jr., the husband of Private

Parents: Sam (Abram) Goodman (Rowinski) and Bertha (Blema) Rothberger Goodman
Siblings: Loretta (Edna) Ruth Goodman Borstein Jerome (Jerry) Frank Goodman half-siblings: Louis Harold Goodman Sarah Goodman Kapelow
Spouses: Private
Children: Private Private Private
Extended relatives
Gender: male
Birthplace: Ohio

Kenneth H. Goodman passed away on April 8, 2024, at the age of 101 in Sun Lakes, Arizona after a long illness.

Louis Margie Bette and Ken — photo-postcard, dated 10/26/1961. Louis and Margie Goodman, Bette and Ken Goodman, Hot Springs, AK.

He was born on August 15, 1922, in Lorain, OH, and was a graduate of Lorain High School, Class of 1940B.Ken proudly served in the US Army during the Second World War as part of Cannon Company, 378th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division, and saw combat in the Battle of Metz under General George Patton. During his service, he displayed remarkable bravery and was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor. After his military service, Ken returned to Lorain and rejoined the family business, Goodman Beverage Co., founded by his father Sam in the 1920s where Ken had worked since he was a boy.

In 1947, Ken set up the Tri-City Distributing Co which sold Carling Black Label and other top-selling beers of the day. He was later joined by his brother Jerry, who assisted with the companies’ growth. Eventually, with Ken as President, Goodman/Tri-City grew to become a large regional beverage wholesaler serving much of northern Ohio until the companies were sold in 2008. Hundreds of people locally were employed by the company over the course of its 75-year history, a great source of pride for Ken and his family. Ultimately, the Goodman Beverage warehouse in Lorain was donated to the Lorain City Schools which uses it as a distribution and storage facility. Ken was a devoted family man, and he and Bette recently celebrated their 71st wedding Anniversary.

Carling Dinner early 1960s

Ken is directly to the left of the 88 placard. His mother, Bertha, and father, Sam, are to his right.

Ken is survived by his loving wife Bette, and their children Larry (Stephanie Betts), Fern (Will Gethin-Jones) Goodman, and Michael (Lee). He was also a cherished grandfather to Betsy Soshnik (Michael), Shira, and Anna, and is also survived by his nieces and nephews and great-grandchildren, George and Audrey Soshnik. He was predeceased by his parents and siblings.

In his free time, Ken was actively involved in various organizations and was a member of the Jewish-American War Veterans and the B’nai Brith fraternal order as well as being a member of the Cotillion Club during the 1970s and 1980s. A member of Agudath B’nai Israel Synagogue in Lorain, OH, he served as a Trustee for at least three decades. He enjoyed Lake Erie perch, playing poker and the stock market, and was an avid (though usually frustrated) Cleveland Browns fan for the past 70 years.