More detail on this person: Goodson, Ret., Lt. Col. Charles Billy77, of Umatilla passed away June
3rd 2015. He was born in Branford, FL (Suwannee County) in 1937, and moved to Umatilla, from Bunnell
in 1942. He attended elementary and high school in Umatilla, before attending The Citadel in
Charleston, SC. Billy was a retired Army aviator (Master Aviator), having served over 30 years in
both the U.S. Army and Marines. He served two tours in Vietnam as a UH-1 helicopter pilot, flying
both gunship and medivac missions. After retirement from the military, he was hired as the General
Manager of Frupor, a Norwegian-owned agricultural firm in Portugal. After seven years overseas
employment, he returned home to serve his community. He was a former mayor and city council
president for Umatilla, served on the Board of Directors (past President) for Sunrise Arc, a member
of Umatilla Masonic Lodge No. 65, Umatilla Kiwanis Club, associate with Beyers Funeral Home, and
attended the First Baptist Church of Umatilla. Survivors include his wife: Martha D. Goodson; son:
Charles D. "Chuck" Goodson (Pam); daughter: Audrey L. Goodson, all of Umatilla; and his beloved
granddaughter: Chloe Elise Goodson, Haines, Alaska. Funeral services will be held 3:00 Sunday, June
7th, at the First Baptist Church of Umatilla with Rev. Brooks Braswell officiating. Interment will
follow at the Umatilla Cemetery Annex, where he will be laid to rest beside his mother and father
(Audrey S. Goodson and Charles P. Goodson). The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 6th
from 6-8 at Beyers Funeral Home in Umatilla. In Lieu of flowers, donations to The Arc Sunrise of
Central Florida (35201 Radio Road, Leesburg, FL 34788) would be sincerely appreciated. Billy was a
tireless advocate for Sunrise Arc and it was an organization dear to his heart. Online condolences
can be made at www.beyersfuneralhome.com. "Go tell the Spartans"
Published in the Orlando Sentinel on June 5, 2015
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
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