Melvin Armin Karl Goedeking

     Melvin Armin Karl Goedeking was born on 2 April 1910 at New Douglas, Madison County, Illinois.¹ He was baptized in 1910 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, New Douglas, Madison County, Illinois. He was the son of Gustave Johannes Friedrich Goedeking and Wilhelmina Christine Remmert.² Melvin Armin Karl Goedeking married, at age 28, Goldie Virginia Wright, age 23, daughter of Aaron Wallace Wright and Segred Marie Pearson, on Saturday, 15 October 1938 at Marysville, Union County, Ohio.³ Melvin Armin Karl Goedeking died on 15 July 2003 at Greene County, Ohio, at age 93 years, 3 months and 13 days.¹ He was buried on 18 July 2003 in section 308, lot 522A, in the Woodland Cemetery, located in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio.
     He appeared on the census of 18 April 1910 in the household of Gustave Johannes Friedrich Goedeking and Wilhelmina Christine Remmert at New Douglas, Madison County, Illinois. Melvin Armin Karl Goedeking appeared on the census of 5 February 1920 in the household of Gustave Johannes Friedrich Goedeking and Wilhelmina Christine Remmert at New Douglas, Madison County, Illinois. Charles Lindberg

Several young men from the New Douglas area went to St. Louis for employment in the early 1920's. While they were there, as young men would do, they spent some time at the old Lambert Air Field. Among these young men were, Glen Kinzer, Louis Ernst and Charles Rosenthal. It was there that they made an acquaintance with young Charles Lindberg.

As a young man Charles Rosenthal went to St. Louis to work as a plant engineer at Washington University in the early 1920's. Through the mutual interest in flying the young men became acquainted and became friends. Together they would fly to New Douglas to visit at the Fred Rosenthal farm west of New Douglas where Fred Ernst lives today. Charles and Ed Rosenthal grew up there. Charles Lindberg would land in the pasture there. Sometimes staying with them over night and flying back the next day. It made for what was in the early 1920's a long trip, into somewhat of an excursion. Alvin Rosenthal's father was a brother to Fred and owned the pasture east of the 4 way stop behind what is now Foulke's home south to the school property. It was also used as a ballfield. Mr. Lindberg would fly to New Douglas on Sundays and use that area for a landing strip to offer sightseeing rides around the countryside to whoever was brave enough and had the fee. Some stories are that he offered free rides to a few of the young ladies of the time, some refused, to their lifelong regret. To take a ride in an airplane in the early twenties took a bit of free spirited courage.

It was a new contraption and was still looked upon as an accident waiting to happen to many. Giving airplane rides allowed him to gain flying hours to qualify as an airmail pilot while making a few dollars.

Many references are made to the various barnstorming pilots of the era. At that time Mr. Lindberg probably fell into that catagory of pilots. He later flew the mail regularly from Chicago to St. Louis. There are stories around about his later stopping at various towns all along the airmail route between St. Louis and Chicago and all across the Illinois countryside. Cornelia Wall said she didn't take a ride because she didn't have the $3, but Gertrude Isaac did take a ride. He also was present a year or two to give rides during the Old Settlers Picnic. After he made the first nonstop transatlantic flight to Paris in 1927 many regretted not taking the opportunity to fly with him for the rest of thier lives. Those who did had something to tell their children and grandchildren. During his days in New Douglas he was a common, nice man whom people enjoyed being around.⁴ Melvin attended the schools in the area of Edwardsville, IL. He worked at the U.S. Radiator Corporation in Edwardsville, IL from 1928 - 1931. He attended Ohio State University in Columbus, OH from 1933 - 1936, he graduated with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Communications. He also attended the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH and Wright State University in Fairborn, Greene Co, OH. Melvin Armin Karl Goedeking was with the United States Civil Service for the Air Force between 1946 and 1969. He and Goldie Virginia Wright lived at 5725 Cottontail Court, Dayton, Ohio, between 1965 and 2003. His obituary was published on 16 July 2003 in the Dayton Daily News, printed in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. His obituary stated:

     Goedeking, Melvin A. (Sam), age 93, of Riverside, passed away Tuesday July 15, 2003. Sam was born on April 2, 1910 in New Douglas, Illinois to the late Gustave and Wilhelmina (Remmert) Goedeking. He was reared and attended local schools in New Douglas. He was a graduate of OSU, an Army/Air Corp Veteran of WWII, and retired from the Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1968 as a part of the Senior Executive Service. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, the former Goldie Wright; sons and daughter-in-law, Don W. Goedeking of Dayton, OH and Van & Linda Goedeking of Miamisburg, OH; two granddaughters, Loa Sholder & husband Kevin of Centerville, OH and Kacie Noonan & husband Brian of Columbia, MD; four great-grandchildren, Christian, Cavanaugh and Annika Sholder and Hannah Goedeking Burhan; and numerous nieces and nephews. One of Sam's fondest memories was his first airplane ride in the summer of 1923 with a barn storming pilot, Charles Lindbergh. Sam wrote his own funeral and burial services which will be read by family and friends. Funeral Services will be 12 Noon, Friday, July 18, 2003 at the Tobias Funeral Home-Beavercreek Chapel, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Road, Nancy E. Sholder will be officiating. Internment will be in Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, OH. Friends may call from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service Friday at the funeral home.