THE son of a former Uttoxeter schoolmaster who dedicated his time to seeing young people achieve their potential has paid tribute to his ‘wonderful and caring’ father.
Thomas Goode dedicated more than 34 years to teaching the youth of Uttoxeter, seeing his work with young people as more of a vocation than a career.
He passed away at the Queen’s Medical Centre, in Nottingham, due to a chest and heart condition at the age of 90 on Sunday, August 26.
Mr Goode spent his teaching days at Bradley Street Junior School, the Oldfields Boys School before moving on to Thomas Alleyne’s High School, teaching a range of subjects but mainly science and maths, as well as running a youth club, army cadet force, drama group and football team.
He was also a captain in the Territorial Army and also taught at Foston Hall Prison.
His son Nick, 63, said: “His whole being was working with young people and trying to get them to make the most of their lives, including his own children.
“He dedicated every spare hour to running youth clubs and all in his own time. They did not get paid for it back then but he did it because he really wanted to see young people reach their potential.” Nick said the main love of his father’s life was his wife Enid, who he married in 1943, after they met at The Spot, in Derby, while she was outside a dance hall waiting for a friend.
They spent 68 years together before she died last year after becoming terminally ill with PSP in 2008 and Mr Goode became his wife’s full time carer for almost three years.
Nick, a father of one, with three grandchildren, said: “He was a wonderful man and very hard working and caring. The main love of his life was his wife.
“Not many people can stay married for 68 years. He missed her terribly when she died, there is no doubt about it.
“He and my mother had a very happy time together, they certainly had a high regard and respect for each other as well as love.” The couple, who also have a daughter Sue, 68, moved to Denstone in 1962 where they built their own house with views of the Weaver Hills.
Mr Goode was born in Middlesex and attended Hampton School before gaining a place at Magdalen College, in Oxford.
However, his studies were stopped by the outbreak of war and he joined the Army immediately, lying about his age as it was three months before his 18th birthday.
He moved to Leicestershire in 2000 with Mrs Goode to be near his son and grandchildren and holidays were spent abroad with the whole family, and visiting Norfolk to see their daughter, who has two children and five grandchildren. They also have grandchildren living in Germany.
Nick added: “My father was always spoiling his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.
Only two weeks before he died we took him for a weekend in Kent and met with his grandchildren from Germany.
He was on the beach building sandcastles and in the park playing on the swings.
“He was always buying his great-grandchildren things to do together. He was not a great one for PlayStations, he was more about the practical things.” The couple never lost touch with Uttoxeter and could be seen most Fridays shopping in the town.
