George S. Goodell
Professor Emeritus of Finance
1921–2011

George S. Goodell, husband, father, grandfather, and colleague, died May 8, 2011, at the age of 89. George was born on November 29, 1921, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the son of George S. Goodell, Sr., and Emma (Kreuter) Goodell. George married Anne Stubenrauch in 1951; they had two children—Margaret and John. He is survived by his wife, Anne, daughter, Margaret (Patrick Kennedy), son, John (Joanne), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In the spring of 1942 George enlisted in the Naval Reserve Program. After receiving his B.A. degree from Carroll College in 1943, he graduated from midshipmen’s school at Notre Dame University. He was commissioned as an Ensign, later promoted to Lt. Jr. G., and served on a mine sweeper in the Pacific for the duration of World War II (1943-1945).

George graduated from the University of Chicago with an MBA in accounting in 1947. In 1949 he received his JD from the Law School at Marquette University in Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1959.

Shortly after acquiring his law degree, he opened a private law practice in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. While practicing law in Sheboygan, George obtained his real-estate broker license. In 1952 George accepted a job in Chicago as a credit analyst for the U.S. Steel Corporation. In 1953 he accepted the position of Assistant Secretary for the Illinois Bankers Association headquartered in Chicago. He later worked for the National Association of Bank Auditors and Comptrollers in Chicago.

George entered academia in 1957 when he began teaching in the College of Business Administration at The Ohio State University. He taught at OSU until he became Chair and Professor of the Department of Finance at Kent State University in 1966. In 1971 George moved to Chicago to become Dean of the School of Business at Roosevelt University. Four years later he became Chair and Professor of the Department of Finance at Loyola University of Chicago. George moved back to Ohio in 1980 to become Chair and Professor of the Department of Finance at Miami University. Beginning with his Ph.D. program in 1951 and ending with retirement from Miami University in 1991, George spent a total of forty years in college teaching.

During his tenure in teaching, George also taught at Northwestern University, the University of Alaska, and the University of San Juan and the Catholic University of Ponce in Puerto Rico. He lectured for six weeks in 1965 at the State University of Moscow and the State University of Leningrad, and in 1966 he joined a team of Ohio State professors to study agricultural credit in Ecuador. This exposure to other areas of the world as well as his time in the navy sparked an interest in travel that became a significant part of his retirement years. George and his wife, Anne, became world travelers, visiting some countries several times and every continent except Antarctica.

Music and playing the trumpet were important to George. He and Anne joined the Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band—George on trumpet and Anne playing the flute. After fully retiring from Miami University in 1991, George and Anne played in local community bands in Oxford and Franklin and with an orchestra at the Otterbein Retirement Center.

In the late 1990s George and Anne became members of the Windjammers Unlimited, a national organization of about 800 band musicians dedicated to preserving circus music. For several years they travelled with the Windjammers to Sarasota, Florida, played and recorded circus music for six to eight hours a day for a week and at the end of the week gave a concert featuring circus music. George and Anne also toured Europe for several years with the American Winds Concert Band.

Wherever he lived, George rooted himself in the community. George was serious about his civic responsibility. In Oxford he was elected to city council, was a member of the Kiwanis, and a lifetime member of VFW Post 9579, serving as quartermaster. George was an active member of the Society of Security Analysts.

George and Anne hosted many picnics at their home for the Miami finance department to celebrate the end of the academic year. These picnics often happened to fall on the same day as the Kentucky Derby. Faculty, staff, and their families had great fun at these gatherings, rooting for their favorite horse, playing badminton or volleyball, and enjoying each other’s company. Similar fun was had year after year at the department Christmas parties that were often held at the Western Lodge. George and Anne loved to dine out in Oxford and the neighboring areas with other couples. George also liked to play a hand or two of poker with friends who had more fun than the amount of money won or lost.

Most people who knew George would say that he was a ‘character.’ He liked to tell stories and he had a unique sense of humor. George always said, “Getting old is not for sissies,” but this did not get George down. He lived life to its fullest until the end.

George was a unique and very interesting person. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

Respectfully submitted by Barry Arlinghaus, James B. Kehr, Barbara Lewis, and William Serraino.