Bernice Lorane Goode

Lt. Colonel Bernice "Bernie" Goode passed away August 4, 2021, at age 97. He was born March 23, 1924, in Burkburnett, Texas and moved to Longview at age 9. He met his beloved wife, Gayle Gandy, at Longview High School, and they married March 24, 1944. They shared 57 years of marriage before her passing in 2001. They were members of New Life Fellowship Church in Gladewater, Texas.

Bernie was an AVID fan of golf and played golf almost daily after his retirement. Bernie was a lifelong Longview Lobo and played guard on the Longview Lobo Football Team his Senior year in 1941. One of his greatest pleasures was witnessing the Lobos claim the Class 6A, Division II State Championship December 22, 2018.

Bernie's military career began when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Among his first assignments was Navigator aboard Bombers. He completed pilot training at Hondo Field as a member of class 54-F. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star and Bronze Star in addition to a myriad of other medals. He logged more than 15,000 hours of flying time during his illustrious 30 year career. To put that in perspective, he spent more than 1.7 years of his 30 year aviation career, airborne.

Bernie is survived by his daughters, Glenna Goode and Gena Goode Bogner; grandchildren, Scott Phillips and wife, Michelle, Steven Phillips, Evan Bogner and Marcy Bogner; great-grandchildren, Connor Phillips, Kendall Phillips and Victoria Phillips.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Gayle Gandy Goode; brother, Robert Goode; infant son, Guy Goode; daughter, Gloria Phillips and her husband, Ronald Phillips.

A special thanks to JoCarol Cox of Highland Home Health for her incredible devotion to Bernie and for sharing her love of The Lobos with him. Thank you to Tammy Combs for loving Bernie like a member of her own family, Allen Conley and Blake Lambert and all of the staff at Buckner Westminster Place for keeping Bernie safe for the last seven years.

There are not enough words to express how appreciative the family is for the caregivers that made the last eight months of his life enjoyable: Liz McCarty, April Solis, Lisette Careno, Lorenzo Washington, Solomon Jones, Byron Williams and Melissa Durr. Cindy McCullough at Hospice Plus, you are an Angel.

The family will receive friends for a time of visitation on Friday, August 13, 2021, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in The Garden Court of Welch Funeral Home. A Life Celebration service will be held at The Chapel of Welch Funeral Home on Saturday, August 14, 2021, at 10:00 AM