Claude R. Gooden, 73, of Kalona, died Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at Mercy Hospital Hospice in Iowa City.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City. Visitation will be held Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Sharon Hill Cemetery in Kalona. The family will host a potluck reception after the burial at the Kalona United Methodist Church -- 302 4th Street -- friends and family are encouraged to share a favorite dish.
Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the American Kidney Foundation.
Claude was born August 25, 1940 in Lancaster, Missouri, the son of Claude and Ina Mae (Phillips) Gooden.
He married Helen Rios on August 24, 1974 in Tampa, Florida. Claude worked as a roofing contractor when the couple lived in Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas. In 1988, Helen and Claude moved to Iowa -- where Claude worked for JR painting -- he retired in 2003.
Claude and Helen enjoyed spending their time fishing together and strolling through the flea markets.
He especially enjoyed taking his dog Hanker to the park everyday. Claude also tinkered as an auto mechanic -- he was a man of his word and he knew no strangers.
Survivors include his wife Helen; a sister, Barbara Jacob (Jake) of San Diego and a son Richard Lee Gooden; Claude and Helen’s children: Paul (Bev), Dirk (Teresa) and Randy (Julie), all of Iowa City, Tammy and Kelly (Connie), both of Farmington, Arkansas; grandchildren: Alexa, Scott, Chelsea, Carissa, Dirk, Jr., Ben, Ryan, Dan and Schuyler; great-grandchildren, Morianna, Gabriella, Silas and Ayden; and his best friend Hanker.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Ina, five brothers: Harold, Delbert, Dean, Ronald and Donald and a sister, Helen Sorenson.
http://www.lensingfuneral.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=114377#/obituaryInfo
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