Thomas Basil Goffe

Thomas Basil Goffe was born June 19, 1923, to Richard and Anna Goffe in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire, England. Tom came to America with his parents and brother in November, 1929. He graduated from Portage High School in 1942. On February 13, 1943, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corp, serving through 1945. He belonged to 71st Squadron and 434th Troop Carrier Group, his squadron receiving four Bronze stars and a Silver Star for battles including D-day and combat throughout France and Germany. Other medals included the EAME Theater Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, and the World War II Victory Medal. In June 2021, French President Emmanual Macron awarded Tom the French Legion of Honour, France's highest military and civilian honor, for his service.

After World War II, Tom worked for Walter Scholer & Associates, in Lafayette, IN as an architectural draftsman for 24 years. After leaving Scholer’s, Tom worked for Hamstra Builders in Wheatfield, IN, for 15 years until he retired at the age of 62. One of the projects he worked on was making renderings for Hooks drug stores located all over the state.

Tom’s first marriage was to Iris Datzman in 1948. They had two children, David, and Debbie Goffe, and lived in Lafayette, IN. Iris passed away in 1962. He married Margaret Anderson Gould in 1968. She was widowed and had three children: Marcia, Mark, and Mary Beth Gould. Margaret passed away in 1985. In 1997, he married Marion Squires. They resided on Lake Freeman, where they loved feeding the birds, squirrels, ducks, and geese. In October 2019, he and Marion moved to the assisted living wing of the White Oaks Healthcare Campus. She passed away in December 2020.

Tom's five children include: David Goffe (Louann), Monticello; Debbie Goffe Seaver (Joe), Madison, IN; Mark Gould (Frances), Fort Wayne, IN; Mary Beth Gould Slack (Mike), Alexandria, VA. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Marcia Gould Van Dyne (Paul), granddaughter Sarah Marie Gould, brothers Pete (Richard) and John Goffe, and sister, Mae Jean Maple. Tom has nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Tom joined American Legion Post 11 in Lafayette in 1948 and became a lifetime member. He served with the Monticello Honor Guard for more than 20 years. He was thrilled to travel on a WWII Honor Flight in April of 2012. At one time Tom was active in the Boy Scouts of America. He volunteered for the White County Food Pantry for several years. He enjoyed ballroom dancing, euchre and bridge, gardening, woodworking, traveling, fishing with his grandkids, and boating.

Tom attended the First Presbyterian Church in Monticello for most of his life, serving as a deacon and a trustee. He joined the Monticello Christian Church with his wife Marion several years ago.

Visitation will be from 4:00 pm (EST) until 8:00 pm Monday, January 2, 2023 at Springer-Voorhis-Draper Funeral Home of Monticello. Full military rites will be rendered at the funeral home at 7pm at the funeral home on Monday.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am Tuesday at the funeral home with Rev. Benji Riddle officiating.

Burial will be at 3pm Tuesday in the St. Boniface Cemetery, Lafayette, IN.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Monticello Veterans Honor Guard with envelopes available at the funeral home.