Longtime faculty member H. Eugene Goodwin, an important and influential builder of the journalism program at Penn State, died Feb. 13. He was 89.
Goodwin, a World War II veteran, joined the Penn State faculty in 1957. He had worked previously as a reporter and political columnist for the Washington Star, as a writer-editor for the Associated Press and as a copy editor for the Baltimore Sun.
He taught investigative reporting, newspaper editing and journalism ethics. He earned a Distinguished Master Teacher award in 1980 and his textbook, "Groping for Ethics in Journalism," won the Frank Luther Mott Kappa Tau Alpha Award as the best researched book about journalism published in 1983.
He served as director of what was then called the School of Journalism from 1957 until 1969, and remained at Penn State for another 16 years until his retirement in 1985. The program became known as the School of Communications in 1985 and the College of Communications was established in 1995.
"Gene probably was the most widely-known, beloved and respected faculty member in the history of the School of Journalism," said Professor Emeritus John S. Nichols, a former journalism faculty member and associate dean of the College of Communications. "He was a master teacher, nationally regarded for his text on journalism ethics, and -- most of all -- a really good guy.
"Much of the recent success of the College of Communications rests on the solid educational foundation that Gene, as the program's longtime director and an influential faculty voice, was instrumental in building."
Along with colleagues who appreciated Goodwin's leadership, talent and work ethic, Penn State students knew him as a demanding faculty member who was tough and fair.
"In my 25 years as a journalist, the lessons I learned in Gene Goodwin's legendary journalism ethics class were with me nearly every day," said Elizabeth Kahn, who earned her journalism degree in 1985 and was an assistant managing editor at the Buffalo News for 23 years. "It was one of the hardest -- and best -- experiences of my time at Penn State."
Goodwin earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism and political science at the University of Iowa. He met Frances Jean Prudhon as an undergraduate at Iowa and married her in 1943 before going to England to serve as a navigator on B-17s in the 8th Air Force. He was discharged in 1945 as a first lieutenant, having won the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as an Air Medal.
After his retirement from Penn State, the Goodwins moved to Mount Dora, Fla., where they became ardent lawn bowlers. They co-edited The Mount Dora Lawn Bowler, a newsletter they started for members of the Mount Dora Lawn Bowling Club in 1994. In 2002, Gene became editor of Bowls USA, the official magazine of the United States Lawn Bowls Association.
In 2007, they moved to Reading, Pa., to live with their daughter, Geri Huey, and then in 2010 moved to the Keystone Villa assisted living home in Douglassville, Pa.
Goodwin was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Dec. 19, 1922. He is survived by his wife, four children, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The children are Geri Huey, of Reading, Pa.; Susan Havens, of State College, Pa.; and Gibson Goodwin and Michael Goodwin, both of Wimberley, Texas. The grandchildren are Kristyn Lederer, with great-grandchildren Zane, Annika and Ridge Lederer, of Pennsburg, Pa.; and Derek Huey, with great-grandchildren Caleb and Mila Huey, of Royersford, Pa.
In lieu of flowers, Gene requested that donations be made to the scholarship fund he and Fran had established to aid disadvantaged journalism students at Penn State. Contributions may be directed to: The Gene and Fran Goodwin Journalism Scholarship, College of Communications External Relations Office, Penn State University, 301 James Building, 123 S. Burrowes St., State College, PA 16801.
Condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com online.