A School Named Goodman

On February 2, 1989, the Chandler Unified School District dedicated a new elementary school: Goodman Elementary, named after Great-Grandpa Clifford. He had died "just a little less than 27 years ago," Dad noted. The ceremony was a family affair, with Stephanie delivering the main speech, "a history of Dad" that Dad himself had written. Pam gave a tribute as well. Dad was moved by the building: "It is a beautiful school, one of the most modern and well laid out I have ever seen".

For Dad, the research involved in writing the speech brought back a flood of memories. "I learned, or was reminded of, many things about Dad," he wrote. Great-Grandpa Clifford had been the beloved small-town doctor who built the family legacy in Chandler, and now that legacy was being literally carved into the landscape of the town.

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Four days later, Dad taped into his journal a different kind of speech entirely. Eight-year-old Matthias had volunteered to give a talk in Junior Sunday School, and Dad transcribed it in full, all in caps, just as the boy had written it on his card:

BEFORE WE CAME TO EARTH, WE ALL LIVED IN HEAVEN. WE HAD HEAVENLY PARENTS WHO LOVED US AND WANTED US TO BE HAPPY. THEY KNEW THAT WE HAD TO LEAVE THEM AND COME TO EARTH TO GET BODIES AND TO LIVE HERE FOR A WHILE. THIS IS SO THAT WE COULD SOMEDAY GET TO BE LIKE OUR HEAVENLY PARENTS ARE. IT WAS VERY HARD FOR THEM TO LET US GO, BUT WE WANTED TO COME TO EARTH AS PART OF OUR GROWING UP TO BE LIKE OUR HEAVENLY PARENTS. WE DON'T REMEMBER OUR LIVES BEFORE WE WERE BORN. THAT IS SO THAT WE CAN LEARN TO HAVE FAITH AND SHOW THAT WE CAN OBEY HEAVENLY FATHER. I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL LEARN TO BE LIKE HEAVENLY FATHER. IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.

Dad's commentary was warm and wry: "Matthias likes to talk in Church, and frequently volunteers (in contradistinction to his father, who goes to incredible lengths to avoid public speaking)". He added, "Matzi is a very good guy, although he does take himself just a little too seriously sometimes".