Charles L. Goodge

More Photos to come

“The Farmer is happy-go-lucky  ….. better late than never,” so says the reflector of Charlie.

Charlie might actually agree.  In  his note to me he said, “Ed, I would  disagree with a statement you made once that you contributed the least   to the class of 1960. I am not about to give up my title that easily.”

Those who have gotten to know Chuck since high school will agree that the Chuck who emerged in adulthood had no resemblance to the Chuck Goodge of GHS days.

“I was so shy and self-conscious  then that I avoided involvement.  I tried to blend into   the   background as much as possible,”  Chuck explains.  ‘My greatest fear in all of high school was that ‘Speech Class’ might become mandatory.”

Ironically the finished product,  known today as Charles L. Goodge,  makes his living by talking before groups of people.  “Go figure,” he says.

Almost immediately after graduation Chuck joined the United States Air Force.  He served in Texas, Oklahoma and at the very tip of the Aleutian Islands.  He was an aircraft  fueler.   After his enlistment Chuck returned to Ohio looking for work.  Those were not good days in Girard and he ended up moving to Bethlehem, PA in 1964 to begin working at Bethlehem Steel Corp.  During the next 20 years Chuck became a jack-of-all-trades and worked at 24 different jobs in three states (Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York).  

The work included but was not limited to common laborer, electrician, electronics technician, driver training instructor, manager of a tire & auto store, manager of a loan office, a builder of diner  cabinets, and a machinists, among others.  He finally ended up as a mechanic/electrician in a jelly bean factory in Eastern PA.

“I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to be when I grew up – and I still can’t,” he jokes.

In the jelly bean factory Chuck got involved with the BCTGM (Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers Union) by being elected as the Treasurer at his local shop. Later he became the Chief   Steward and finally the Chairman of the shop unit.

A while later an election was called at Local 6, in Philadelphia, of the BCTGM.  Chuck ran for Business Representative.  He was elected and  installed in  February of 1995.  In January of 2010 he was elected to his 6^th three year term as Business Representative and was also elected to his 2^nd three year term as   Vice President/Financial Secretary.

This once shy Charles Goodge is on the Board of Directors of the BCT Credit Union.  He also is Vice Chairman of the Board of the Yokefellow Prison Ministry.  Chuck is a Trustee for the BCTGM Health and Welfare Fund.  He is Vice President of the Lehigh Valley Central Labor Council, a delegate to the Reading PA Central Labor Council and a delegate to the Montgomery County Central Labor Council.

Charlie serves as a trustee for Asbury United Methodist Church and heads several committees at the church.  In addition to his activities in the church he is involved with the Yoke Fellow Prison Ministry.  Every Friday you will find Charles Goodge at the prison, working with inmates. “I have been doing it about 5 years,” he says.  “It is my passion.  I do a Bible Study there and counseling with the men.  We also council them when they get out.  Our goal is to help them stay out which is not always an easy task.” 

Chuck and first wife  Gail married in 1967 and had a son and a daughter. They were married for 30 years.  Unfortunately that marriage ended in divorced in 1997.

His son is a computer geek for and insurance company. He is married and has five children,  one of which is autistic, and quite a challenge. His daughter recently received her Master’s degree in Special Education and is teaching Special Ed at the high school level.

In 1999 Chuck met Cheryl. The two were married in September of 2000. She has two sons and two grandchildren.  Cheryl serves as the customer service manager at Burlington Coat Factory. 

Chuck’s job with the union has meant extensive travel throughout the USA.   In November he and Cheryl look forward to attend a labor conference in Honolulu.

Chuck likes golf and bowling.  But his many union, civic and church commitments affords him  precious little time for himself. 

“BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?”  Charles L Goodge may have been a late bloomer but what a spectacular Plant.  There are a lot of people whose lives have been touched by Charlie in ways they will never forget.  He has done GHS, and the Class of 1960, Proud.

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