Laurel Ted “Wimp” Goddard was born July 13, 1928. The third son of Ed “E.P.” and Katie (Fox) Goddard, he was born in the Goddard Ranch house 200 feet from where he departed this life, peacefully, in his home of 90 years.
He grew up on the ranch in rural Penokee. He attended grade school at the country school north of the home place. His job before he could barely see over the steering wheel was to pick up all the neighbor kids in his big sedan and drive them to school. He later attended and graduated from Morland Rural High School with the class of 1947, the only boy with six girls in his graduating class. After high school, he attended Kansas State University majoring in Agriculture. During college, he thoroughly enjoyed his time on the cheerleading squad, the Wampus Cats, and airplane rides back and forth to school with his brother Bill and brother-in-law Wilbur Born.
He started raising and showing Hereford cattle with his family at a young age. As the story goes his brother Bill talked the rest of the family into getting rid of the sheep and changing the operation over to a focus on Hereford cattle. Laurel was integrally involved in helping form the Kansas Hereford Association, served as President and sales manager and organized many Kansas Hereford sales.
In the early 50’s, he began selling Kelly Ryan feed wagons, Foremost cattle chutes, Richardson sweeps, T & L irrigation systems, Lundell choppers and various other farm equipment. He was instrumental over the years in helping engineer many aspects of feed wagons built by Kelly Ryan out of Blair, Nebraska.
Laurel was a charter member of Elks Lodge 1995 in Hill City and a charter member of Farm Bureau. In 2005, Laurel and his family received the Farm Bureau Century Farm Award. He was a member of the Methodist Church of Morland.
Laurel married Pat Schuricht on October 17, 1953. Three children were born of this union: Jerry, Julie and John. Pat passed away December 28, 1992 and Laurel was remarried to Mary Childers on July 9, 1994. The two of them had 24 very happy years enjoying each other’s company. They especially enjoyed fixing up old abandoned houses as well as the Smith horse barn and turning them into beautiful guest lodges. They proudly hosted hunters and others from many states and several foreign countries, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful rolling hills of Goddard Ranch and Seven Two Bar Adventures. Laurel and Mary were also host to three exchange students who became their “Italian children”. Matilde Nicolotti of Milan, Italy, Deborah del Negro, Leeds, England, and Riccardo Parigi, Ferrara, Italy. While they all stayed at different times, they became part of Laurel and Mary’s family and have returned many times to visit at the ranch.
Some of Laurel’s favorite things to do were taking care of the cattle and horses, giving ranch tours, dancing, boating, water skiing, and just in general working the cattle and land. Laurel planned to continue with his business, farming, ranching and selling livestock equipment, which was also his passion, his entire life. In later years, he faced cancer and won the battle three times, had open heart surgery and various other health issues, none of which slowed him down much. He was able to focus on enjoying his grandchildren and great grandchildren, telling stories, keeping up on politics and encouraging his family in their endeavors.
Laurel was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Katie, brothers Elmer and Bill and a sister, Alice Born. He is survived by his wife Mary; his children Jerry and Ruth Goddard of Logan, Julie and Rick Roberts of rural Hill City, John and Rhonda Goddard, rural Penokee; stepsons: Chuck Childers, Colorado and Scott Childers, Morland and stepdaughter Jennifer Childers and her husband, Brett Smith of San Francisco, California. He has five grandchildren: including granddaughters Jaime and her husband Tim Nestor, Overland Park, Darci Goddard, Kansas City, Kristan Fisher, Fremont, Nebraska; grandsons: Lucas Goddard, Norton and Cordell Goddard, Manhattan as well as three great grandchildren: Genesis, Eli and Adaline: and many nieces, nephews and friends will also mourn his passing.
He will be remembered fondly by many in the area as Wimp, nicknamed in high school by his friends after the cartoon character Wimpy on Popeye, for his similar love of hamburgers.
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