James F. Goff
March 19, 1920 – May 8, 2007
James Franklin Goff, 87, of Sioux City died Tuesday, May 8, 2007, at a Sioux City hospital following a lengthy illness.
Services were held May 12 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where the Rev. Daniel Guenther ofciated. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel.
Mr. Goff was born March 19, 1920, in Two Harbors, Minn., the son of Frank and Susan Goff. He moved to Sioux City with his family at an early age. He attended Sioux City Public Schools, graduating from East High School in 1938.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army air Corps in 1939 and served until the end of World War II in 1945. He attended service schools and graduated from Aerial Photography School at Lowery Field, Colo., Bombardier School in Midland, Texas and Navigation School in Hondo, Texas, all in 1942. He was assigned to a B-17 bomber crew and deployed to England to serve with the famed 95th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. He flew 25 combat bombing missions over Germany in the fall and winter of 1943. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Air Medals, the European Air Offense Medal with a battle star, the American Defense Medal, World War II Victory Medal and three Presidential Unit Citations.
He returned to the United States in 1944 and served as a navigation instructor on four B-24 bomber crews, training for combat in the Pacic Theater. He also served with the Air Transport Command as a navigator for B- 25 bomber crews, flying from California to the Australia for combat duty in the Pacific. When the war ended in 1945, he was discharged from the U.S. Army air Corps and returned to Sioux City.
He married Florence Degen of Sioux City on Sept. 23, 1946. He subsequently graduated from Morningside College with a bachelor of arts degree in 1950, and from Drake University with a master's of Fine Art degree in 1951. He taught art at East High School for 29 years. He also taught adult classes at the Sioux City Art Center and Western Iowa Tech Community College.
As an artist, he was widely recognized for his watercolor landscapes and his paintings are represented in many corporate, public and private collections. He was a life member of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, the 95th Bomb Group Memorial Association, the Siouxland Aviation Historical Association and the American Legion Post 697.
He is survived by his wife, Florence; two sons, James L. Goff of Sioux City and Patrick K. Goff of Sedro Woolley, Wash.; six daughters, Kathleen E. Goff of Brussels, Belgium, Carol S. Kalkman (Tom Kalkman) of Wickenburg, Ariz., Althea M. Goff of Sioux City, Laura L. Pietsch (Jeff Pietsch) of Omaha, Rebecca A. Goff (Dr. Bruce Partnoy) of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Annette M. Poznanski (Brian Poznanski) of Princeton, Minn.; his sister, Jean Peterson of Sioux City; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Dwight Goff; two sisters, Doris Rhymer and Althea Hess; and his son, Daniel P. Goff.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society.
James F. Goff was a deeply beloved husband, father and grandfather, as well as a cherished friend, mentor and teacher to many.
Sioux City Journal (IA) - Tuesday, May 15, 2007