Goodell, George - Miami University

A MEMORIAL
To
George S. Goodell
Professor Emeritus of Finance
1921-2011
George S. Goodell, husband, father, grandfather, and colleague, died May 8, 2011, at the age of 89.
George was born on November 29, 1921, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the son of George S. Goodell,
Sr., and Emma (Kreuter) Goodell. George married Anne Stubenrauch in 1951; they had two children
– Margaret and John. He is survived by his wife, Anne, daughter, Margaret (Patrick Kennedy), son,
John (Joanne), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In the spring of 1942 George enlisted in the Naval Reserve Program. After receiving his B.A. degree
from Carroll College in 1943, he graduated from midshipmen’s school at Notre Dame University. He
was commissioned as an Ensign, later promoted to Lt. Jr. G., and served on a mine sweeper in the
Pacific for the duration of World War II (1943-1945).
George graduated from the University of Chicago with an MBA in accounting in 1947. In 1949 he
received his JD from the Law School at Marquette University in Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from Northwestern
University in 1959.
Shortly after acquiring his law degree, he opened a private law practice in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
While practicing law in Sheboygan, George obtained his real-estate broker license. In 1952 George
accepted a job in Chicago as a credit analyst for the U.S. Steel Corporation. In 1953 he accepted the
position of Assistant Secretary for the Illinois Bankers Association headquartered in Chicago. He later
worked for the National Association of Bank Auditors and Comptrollers in Chicago.
George entered academia in 1957 when he began teaching in the College of Business Administration
at The Ohio State University. He taught at OSU until he became Chair and Professor of the Department
of Finance at Kent State University in 1966. In 1971 George moved to Chicago to become
Dean of the School of Business at Roosevelt University. Four years later he became Chair and Professor
of the Department of Finance at Loyola University of Chicago. George moved back to Ohio in
1980 to become Chair and Professor of the Department of Finance at Miami University. Beginning
with his Ph.D. program in 1951 and ending with retirement from Miami University in 1991, George
spent a total of forty years in college teaching.
During his tenure in teaching, George also taught at Northwestern University, the University of Alaska,
and the University of San Juan and the Catholic University of Ponce in Puerto Rico. He lectured
for six weeks in 1965 at the State University of Moscow and the State University of Leningrad, and in
1966 he joined a team of Ohio State professors to study agricultural credit in Ecuador. This exposure
to other areas of the world as well as his time in the navy sparked an interest in travel that became a
significant part of his retirement years. George and his wife, Anne, became world travelers, visiting
some countries several times and every continent except Antarctica.

Music and playing the trumpet were important to George. He and Anne joined the Southwestern
Ohio Symphonic Band – George on trumpet and Anne playing the flute. After fully retiring from
Miami University in 1991, George and Anne played in local community bands in Oxford and Franklin
and with an orchestra at the Otterbein Retirement Center.
In the late 1990s George and Anne became members of the Windjammers Unlimited, a national organization
of about 800 band musicians dedicated to preserving circus music. For several years they
travelled with the Windjammers to Sarasota, Florida, played and recorded circus music for six to eight
hours a day for a week and at the end of the week gave a concert featuring circus music. George and
Anne also toured Europe for several years with the American Winds Concert Band.
Wherever he lived, George rooted himself in the community. George was serious about his civic
responsibility. In Oxford he was elected to city council, was a member of the Kiwanis, and a lifetime
member of VFW Post 9579, serving as quartermaster. George was an active member of the Society
of Security Analysts.
George and Anne hosted many picnics at their home for the Miami finance department to celebrate
the end of the academic year. These picnics often happened to fall on the same day as the Kentucky
Derby. Faculty, staff, and their families had great fun at these gatherings, rooting for their favorite
horse, playing badminton or volleyball, and enjoying each other’s company. Similar fun was had year
after year at the department Christmas parties that were often held at the Western Lodge. George
and Anne loved to dine out in Oxford and the neighboring areas with other couples. George also
liked to play a hand or two of poker with friends who had more fun than the amount of money won
or lost.
Most people who knew George would say that he was a ‘character.’ He liked to tell stories and he
had a unique sense of humor. George always said, “Getting old is not for sissies,” but this did not get
George down. He lived life to its fullest until the end.
George was a unique and very interesting person. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew
and loved him.
Respectfully submitted by Barry Arlinghaus, James B. Kehr,
Barbara Lewis, and William Serraino.