Another hero is gone...
 

My great aunt's husband passed last Sunday. He was a POW in Germany during WWII when his B24 was shot down. He owned a Pontiac dealership in WI, then retired to FL where he met my great aunt Patti and they married. He was a good man and I am proud to have known him. Approx. 1.5M WWII veterans are left and about 1100 die each day. There were 16M veterans at the end of the war, so these gentlemen and women are leaving their legacy to us.


ARTHUR RAYMOND GODAR


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ARTHUR RAYMOND GODAR

FEBRUARY 6, 2011

Arthur Raymond Godar, 87, passed away Sunday, February 6, 2011. He was born January 8, 1924 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to the late Joseph and Gertrude (Derringer) Godar.

Arthur served in the US Air Corps in WWII as a 1st Leutenant. He later graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Business in 1947 from Marquette University. He was the former owner of Art Godar Pontiac, Inc. in Oconomowoc. While residing in Wisconsin he was a State Legislator in the Wisconsin House of Representatives. He came to Florida in 1977 where he then served on the Lee County Planning Commission. He was the former owner of the Malaga Motel in Cape Coral for many years. Mr. Godar was also a member of St. Andrews Catholic Church in Cape Coral, the VFW, Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, American Legion and the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Patricia; sons, William, Peter, Thomas, Richard; daughter, Linda Pellmann; step-children, Katie Smith, William Braun, Gerald Braun, Dr. Thomas Stover; sisters, Rose Marie Spitz , Carol Joan Hurbert; 22 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

There will be a visitation on Friday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home. Funeral with Military Honors will follow at 1:00 PM. There will also be a memorial service in Wisconsin at a later date. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery.

Sure sounds like a hero. Sorry for your loss.

Thank you Sir for a life well lived!


I wish that I could be 1/2 of the Man he sounds like.

Sorry for your loss, Art. It sounds as if he was great man.

Thanks, guys! There aren't too many left from that era.

We just received word that my great aunt will receive her husband's disability payments for the rest of her life. There is a "100% disability for 10 years" requirement that he missed by 1 year and the VA said that nothing could be done but some strings were pulled and she's very happy and thankful...

Yep...WW2 vets are getting old fast. Lost my dad about 5 years ago.
My mum, who was a London teenage war bride is now 83 and all her friends from that time have passed.

He married at age 65?

Good for him, but he could have collected more SS by staying single. Sounds like he did okay for himself and did not need to take such measures.

Sorry for your loss Art, he sounds like he lived a very full life. Is your great aunt Patricia taking this all in stride? Must be tough on her.

I am sorry to hear the bad news Art.
Regards,
Sandy

A prime representative.............. for the "Greatest Generation"

WWII Generation...we owe them so much. RIP

Condolences to the family.
This is a good reminder for us to be sure to appreciate our veterans. My wife and I will always stop to say "thank you" to anyone (even strangers) who are wearing something to indicate they are veterans. Even if I don't agree with the politics of some wars, I appreciate the person willing to serve their country.

The one battle they can never win. God Bless them & may they all R.I.P.

Sincerely
JB

My condolences to all your family. He sounds like a great man.

The greatest eneration. May he rest in peace.

The greatest generation without a doubt.

My uncle by marriage - Ernie Bankey - A triple WWII ace. Lost him in 2009.

Ernest Bankey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Or maybe he was a man of honour.

Great man!

Thanks guys! He and my great aunt married late in life after his 1st two wives died and they had a great life together. She's very tough and is doing well ( for 85 ).

He has my profound thanks for helping to free my country. Too many of his colleagues gave the ultimate sacrifice while they were young, I am happy to hear that he had a full life after he was done with his selfless work for my parents and grandparents.

May God bless him and give all of you peace.

D.

My dad was born in 1925, Navy corpsman in WW2. Found out yesterday that he has cancer - now waiting to figure out the details. Based on the info I've heard it isn't good. Soon the greatest generation will only be a memory.

Wonderfully stated.

Art, I will add my regrets, less eloquently than Cloggie, with heartfelt thanks.

Take care. Corpsmen are the finest kind.