Bobby James Good

Bobby James Good was born July 24, 1942, in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, the first child of Olive Belle Eppler Good and James Talman Good. When Bob was 18 months old, his brother Bill was born— his best friend for life. Their childhood in the small Oklahoma towns of Garvin County was full of independent adventures and hot summer afternoons spent watching westerns in the dark movie theater—over and over again for a nickel.

When Bob was 5, he and Bill were in the car when their grandfather Jimmy Good was hit by another driver that swerved into their lane. For the rest of his life, Bob would recall every detail of this accident as if it had just happened. Bob and Bill, along with their little sister Sandra Jo, formed a close early bond with their cousins Kay Grimes Pritchett, Jesse Eppler (their kid-uncle), Paula Scheller, and Randy Good. They would delight in each other’s company their whole lives.

Bob left home for his freshman year at OU in the fall of 1960. A few years later, he joined the Marine Reserves, eventually transferring from the Marine Reserves to the Army officer training program.

Bob married Suzanne Freeman in 1966. 3 weeks later, Bob was stationed on active duty to Fort Bliss, El Paso. Next, they were assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana, where their first child, Michael Barry Good was born in 1967.

When Michael was a toddler, Bob entered flight school at Mineral Wells, Texas, where he learned to fly helicopters. He was sent to Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia to complete his flight training, and their youngest child, Julia Holly Good, was born there in 1969. At Hunter, Bob became a Huey helicopter pilot and got his wings.

In March, 1969 Bob was sent to Vietnam with the First Cavalry Air Mobile Division (once Cav, always Cav), where his tour of duty lasted 15 months. In addition to other honorable service medals he would receive throughout his career, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (Vietnam, 1969). Even though he never boasted of his medals, the flying cross was the one that meant the most to him. In March, 1970, Bob returned home in one piece, which was statistically miraculous for Vietnam helicopter pilots.

After a short stint at El Paso, the Army sent Bob to OSU at Stillwater, OK, where he was able to finish his bachelor’s degree in journalism. After graduating, Bob was awarded a plum assignment in the Admissions Office at West Point. From 1973-1975, Bob’s job was to be author, editor, creative director, and project manager of all admissions materials targeting female cadets. Bob always described the years at West Point as “my kids’ Camelot,” and it truly was.

After West Point, the Army assignments piled up: Korea without his family, Fort Hood with his family—where career highlights included successfully managing a Presidential visit on two-weeks’ notice, and escorting the Star Wars sound crew for a week as they recorded battle sounds from the annual Army war games practice. Germany (Wurzburg, then Darmstadt) with his family. where Bob worked with NATO committees and managed visiting American dignitaries and politicians.

Their years in Germany were packed with sightseeing and “touring Europe by battlefield,” as his children always recalled. Bob’s exhaustive knowledge of WWI and WWII history gave their trips and excursions additional layers of context, which he could often liven up with a personal detail—in Belgium, “this is where the Battle of the Bulge was fought,” but also, “and your mom’s Uncle Berry Freeman fought in that battle.”

In 1983, Bob moved the family back to Georgetown, Texas so his kids could finish high school in a good school district. During their years living in Georgetown, Bob and Suzanne joined St. John’s United Methodist Church. Even though they moved away and joined other wonderful congregations, St. John’s was always the church they considered ‘home,’ and they stayed in close contact with the members of their Sunday school class, “The Seekers.”

Bob commuted to his final Army assignment at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas—and even did a final jungle tour as a press officer in Honduras. He did not want to go—but his superior officers all swore he was the only Public Affairs Officer in the Army at the time who could handle the political mess there.

After he retired from the Army, Bob had a few public affairs-related jobs, and in 1989 became Executive Director of Tarrant County Dispute Resolution Services. In his nearly 17 years at DRS, Bob trained many hundreds of mediators. He was very proud of the DRS yearly involvement in Tarrant County Settlement Week, and valued the support of the judges and other legal professionals who believed in his agency and volunteer mediators.

In the early 1990s, Bob spent many days and weeks in Austin during legislative sessions advising committees that were writing state rules governing mediation services. As mediation became more widely available throughout Texas, Bob’s mediator training classes became more sought-after. For several years after he retired from DRS, Bob partnered with Mark Batchelder in a mediation services and training consultancy.

As empty-nesters, Bob and Suzanne spent a lot of time taking short trips to the lakes at Grove, Oklahoma and Athens, Texas with their friends Linda and Mike Dean. Bob and Mike Dean would plan their upcoming fishing trips in minute detail.

After retiring from DRS in 2006, Bob and Suzanne took an epic retirement trip with their friends, Bob and Mary Jane Everett. They drove from Texas to Alaska, went on a 7-day Alaskan cruise, and then drove back to Texas, stopping in Canada and several western states along the way.

Bob’s retirement was a happy time filled with grandchildren, writing his memoirs and family history, planning fishing trips, and continuing to enjoy groceries-those cooked by Suzanne, or enjoyed at his favorite restaurants like Babe’s or Bouray’s Cajun Kitchen.

In 2016, Bob and Suzanne suffered the ultimate loss when their beloved son Michael died at age 49 as a result of complications from cancer. The next year, Bob was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, which got progressively worse and more debilitating.

In May 2022 Bob was diagnosed with small-cell carcinoma in several areas of his body. His last visitor was, fittingly, his brother Bill (and wife Dorris). Bob died on June 13, 2022 after a swift decline, with his wife and daughter by his side, and many loving phone messages from his brother, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren.

Bob was preceded in death by his son Michael, his sister Sandra Good Wolfe, his niece Leigh Ann Fore, nephew Trey Fore, and niece Catherine Good Nelson. He is survived by his wife Suzanne, daughter Julia Holly, grandchildren Max and Eleanor, daughter in law Renee, brother Bill (and wife Dorris), niece Paige Good Bartlett (husband Roy), and nephews Gary Fore (wife Lou Ann), and Jeff Good (wife Christy).