CLIFFORD MARK GOODSON OBIT

Clifford “Mark” Goodson

Clifford “Mark” Goodson , born in Little Rock AR. June 4, 1940
Completed his life on Earth May 18, 2016, after a long and valiant fight with cancer. He was preceded in death by his Father, Macklin Goodson, Mother, Marceleet Leonard and Step-father, J.D. Leonard.

Mark is survived by his wife of almost 30 years, Betty “Keathley” Goodson, daughters; Lori Frese ( Jacob), Denise Laster (Steven), son; Dean Goodson and his “bonus children”; step-sons; Steven Crowder, Thomas Crowder, step-daughter; Christi Andrews, grand-children; Ashley and Spencer Cunningham, Hannah, Marissa, and Rachel Laster, Skylar and Tristan Goodson, Nicole Pearcy (Clay), Chris Crowder, Kayla Stephens ( Ryan), Carolanne Crowder, Chase, Cody, and Payton Andrews, and special great-grandson, Tyler Holt; his sister Maureen Bledsoe, the Mother of his children; Trisha Goodson, Aunts Louella Beasley, Myrline Jernigan, and Juanita Avery, sisters-in-law Gail Keathley, Carolyn Hobbs, Lisa Hicks (James), by loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Mark was known affectionately by high school and college friends as “Porky”.
Mark graduated from Little Rock Central High in 1958 and attended both UALR and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He served in the US Marine Corp and Arkansas National Guard. Mark had several careers; truck driver, Sales in the trucking industry, and Farmers Insurance Agent. After retirement he began his favorite career as an Independent contractor; delivering “Hot Shot” loads all over the country. When his health began to fail, he delivered medical supplies inside the state; his way of giving back he said.

Mark was a member of Sherwood Jaycees, the Sherwood Rotary Club; served as its President, and in 1990 was honored by the club with the Paul Harris Fellow award for his work in implementing the Meals on Wheels Program in the Sherwood area. Mark truly loved getting to know and care for the elderly in our community. Mark and Betty served on the R.A.I.N. team of Good Shepherd UMC, where they cared for people living with Aids. Mark also served for several years as Treasurer of Arkansas Woodworkers and loved creating in his shop (mostly sawdust he said), which was always open for others to use. He and Betty were members of the American Bell Association and enjoyed traveling to all parts of the country for the National conventions. He served in several positions with ABA, the most recent as their Advertising Chairman for the magazine The Bell Tower.

Family was most important to Mark; Betty and his children most of all, but he had a huge heart and considered a great number of people as his extended family: his church family, his friends in the American Bell Association, and many others he met and kept as forever friends along the way. Mark was a member of First United Methodist Church, North Little Rock where he was a member of the Builders Class.
His family will miss his smile, his story-telling and most of all his unconditional love, but would like to thank Dr. John Hayes, Dr, Frederick Bentley, Dr Kewen Jauss, the wonderful nurses at LR Hematology/Oncology and Arkansas Hospice for giving us so many extra years with him because of your skills and loving care.
The Memorial Service will be at First United Methodist Church, North Little Rock , Friday May 27th at 1:00 pm with visitation and reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church 6701 John F. Kennedy Blvd. No. Little Rock, AR 72116 or a charity of your choice. Services entrusted to Arkansas Cremation. Guests may register at www.ArkansasCremation.com.