Obituary of Alfred Montgomery Goodale

BELFAST Alfred Montgomery Goodale of Belfast, Maine died November 10, 2017 at the age of 85. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, he was the third and youngest son of Fairfield Goodale, Sr. and Anna Bowditch Perkins. He served in the US Army after WWII, stationed in Germany and received degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He travelled the world extensively, working in northern Canada as a cook, in Thailand as a patent lawyer and in Kenya with the Peace Corps. From the mid-1970s he settled in midcoast Maine and concentrated on writing fiction, both for adults and children. In the mid-1980s he went completely blind, but continued to live independently, and was known for his poise and determination in dealing with his blindness. He was a longtime congregant, and deacon of the Liberty Baptist Church. He also volunteered for hospice extensively, eventually serving as President of Hospice in Waldo County. To his colleagues in these organizations, and to his friends and family, he was known as a gentleman of strong faith, a creative thinker, a good listener, a loyal friend, and a loving person. He enjoyed watching birds, reading poetry and fiction, taking long walks with his dogs, and listening to the Red Sox games. He was predeceased by his brothers Dr. Fairfield Goodale, Jr., and Robert Perkins Goodale. He is survived by his son Dr. Eben Goodale, his daughter-in-law Dr. Uromi Manage Goodale, and his grandson David Parakrama Goodale. He was also a beloved uncle or elder to the larger Goodale clan. A memorial service will be held Saturday November 18 at 10:00 AM in the Liberty, Maine, Baptist Church with reception following, and an interment on the same day at 2:30 PM at the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco, Maine. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Seeing Eye, Morristown, New Jersey. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.ripostafh.com.