Obituary: George Goodwin, Former Professor of Political Science

George Goodwin
George Goodwin

George Goodwin, 97, of Amherst, a former professor of political science and longtime community volunteer, died Oct. 20.

Born June 29, 1921 in East Hartford, Connecticut, he was educated in East Hartford public schools, with a post-graduate year at Deerfield Academy. After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Williams College in 1943, he served in the Air Force in the southwest Pacific from 1943-46.

Following the war, he pursued graduate studies at Harvard, earning his Ph.D. in 1955, and began a teaching career at UMass Amherst where he helped create the political science department during the university’s rapid expansion. He also devoted time and skills to the town of Amherst, serving as a member of the planning board and town meeting, and chair of the committee that wrote the town manager act.

In 1962, he left Amherst and spent three years as chair of the University of Rhode Island political science department. He then joined the fledgling UMass Boston until his retirement.

He returned to Amherst in 1986. Among the organizations he served in retirement were the zoning board of appeals, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, Friends of the Jones Library (his service is recognized with a room named in his and his wife’s honor), vestry of Grace Church, Master Gardeners Association of Western Massachusetts, and Five-College Learning-in-Retirement. He was awarded the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Millicent Kaufman Distinguished Service Award in 2000.

He was the widower of the former Ellen Safford. He is survived by children and their spouses: Alice and Ross Goodwin-Brown of Amherst, Emily Goodwin of Leyden, Maida Goodwin of Northfield, Putnam and Kathy Goodwin-Boyd of Florence, and William Goodwin of Weston, Vermont.

 A service will be held Saturday, Nov. 3 at 11 a.m. at Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the Friends of the Jones Library or the George Goodwin Jr. Scholarship Fund at UMass Amherst.