Obituary: Jack Irwin Goodman

Jack Irwin Goodman passed away on Aug.19, 2023, at 11:50 a.m., one month and nine days short of his 89th birthday. He was born in Norfolk, Va., to David and Mollie Goodman Sept. 28, 1934, and was their only child. In Norfolk, he attended Taylor Elementary, Blair Junior High and Maury High School, where he graduated with the class of 1952. During those years, he made lifelong friends, many of whom were part of his group, informally known as the “Big Men.”

Jack grew up on Gates Avenue and became interested in a girl from down the street named Dorothy “Chickie” Walner. Jack and Chickie attended parties and dances together all through high school. Jack also served on the Coast Guard reserve during high school.

After high school graduation, Jack attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he joined the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and majored in business. He joined Army ROTC, served on the JAG corp and attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Even though he enjoyed his time at Bama, he still missed the girl he left at home; so, after his sophomore year in college, he proposed to Chickie.

He came home to Norfolk, attended Old Dominion University, and worked before he and Chickie were married on June 28, 1956. They returned to Bama together, where Jack finished up his degree and then moved to Williamsburg, Va., so that Jack could attend law school at William and Mary. He graduated from law school but decided to pursue a career in mortgage banking, a profession he worked at until the age of 81. The mortgage business took the Goodmans from Virginia to Atlanta, Ga., in 1962. In 1965, they welcomed their only child, Amy, and the family became a trio. Jack founded the very successful Mortgage Associates in Atlanta before selling the company and temporarily retiring, until he became stir-crazy and joined several other mortgage companies.

He was a Master Mason and 32nd Degree Shriner in the York Rite.

The Goodmans were founding members of Temple Sinai. Together, they enjoyed traveling the world and fine art, but for many years Jack’s passion was golf. His other abiding passion was University of Alabama football. He loved being Poppy and the birth of his grandson Noah, was the highlight of his life. After his beloved Chickie died in 2008, he stepped in to be involved with all aspects of his grandson’s life. In 2016, Jack, Amy and her husband, Gary, bought a house together, where he had his own apartment and they lived in relative harmony for several years. His personality, full of quick wit and sarcasm, often hid his gentle side and his life of hidden philanthropy, paying the medical bills of multiple employees and helping out family members. He considered himself a “High Holiday Jew” but cherished the ritual fellowship of the holidays, at both his home with Chickie and the home he later shared with his children. Growing up without pets, he became a wonderful pet parent and later pet grandparent to a cadre of dogs: McTavish, Farfel, Scooter, Tybee, and Lena, who loved her Poppy so much that she passed away later on the same day.

Jack was predeceased by his parents, of blessed memory, his beloved wife, Dorothy Jean “Chickie” Walner, and his granddog, Lena. He is survived by his daughter, Amy Michelle Goodman Abramson, and son-in-law, Gary Abramson, grandson, Noah William Abramson, and granddogs, Scooter and Tybee. He is further survived by multiple cousins, two of the “Big Men,” Howard Kesser and Boris Schwetz , his bonus daughter, Robin Angeloni, and his devoted helper, Patrice Bonnen. He leaves behind many friends to cherish his memory and remember that, no matter what, Jack was a charismatic man with a deep, sometimes hidden heart of gold.

Funeral services were held at Arlington Memorial Park Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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