Charles (Charlie) Frederick Goodhue, 87, of Bedford, TX, passed away on January 13, 2024 after battling a brief illness.

Charlie was born in Hanover, NH and moved to Claremont, NH when he was in the 4th grade. He attended Stevens High School where he was a featured trumpet soloist in the concert band and orchestra. He enjoyed playing basketball with a community league, and as part of the Stevens varsity team his senior year.

While attending the University of New Hampshire, his love of music continued, and he and others created a dance band that played at college events and the surrounding area. After graduation in 1958 with a major in Mathematics, he was offered a job with the Stan Kenton Band, but instead, joined the Navy and attended Officer Candidate School at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. While stationed there, he started a local US Navy Dance Band.

After his Naval days as an aviator and instructor concluded, he flew domestic and international flights for Trans World Airlines for thirty years. During this time, he continued playing the trumpet with various jazz and community bands whenever possible. After retiring, Charlie played with bands in the Corinth and Denton, TX communities and in the Youngtown, Sun City, Surprise, Peoria, Arizona communities.

He is featured in the documentary A Jewel of the Desert by Mary Apick, which is about the Desert Brass Band and will be streamed on YouTube later this year.

He was known for his kindness, helping those in need, meticulous attention to detail, sharp memory, and the ability to remember the names of everyone he met. He faithfully supported numerous charities all over the country and was a dedicated volunteer in the communities where he resided.

Charlie is survived by Sharon, his wife of 38 years; children, Chad Goodhue (Karan) and Sarah Cropper (Paul); grandchildren, Nicole Peralta (Luis), Nicholas Cropper, Claire Cropper, and Grace Cropper; sister, Patricia Barnes (Bob); nephew, Kevin Kleinhomer (Michelle); brother-in-law, Bert Adams (Betty); nephew, Craig Adams (Lainie); niece, Gail Pugh (Alan); several great-grandchildren, grandnephews, grandnieces; cousin, Sara Dowd (Doug) and family, cousin, Terry Kohuth and family, cousin, John Pierce and family; close friends Jesse, Terrie, Kimberley, Vicki, former bandmates and classmates, and countless others. He will be deeply missed by all.

The family is thankful for Dr. Haider and staff of Preferred Primary Care, Dr. Rojas and Dr. Dubey and staff of Texas Oncology, H.E.B. Hospital in Bedford, and the nurses and med-techs at Brookdale Eden Estates for their compassion and loving care these past few months.

A memorial for Charlie will be held in the spring and an announcement will be forthcoming.

For those who may want to remember him with a donation, Straydog in Gun Barrel City, Texas, is a charity that was very dear to his heart.