Harry Eugene Goodwin

H. Eugene Goodwin, 89, passed away February 13, 2012 in Keystone Villa, Douglassville.

Gene, as he was known by his friends, was a writer, editor, journalist, teacher, lawn bowler, World War II veteran, husband, and father.

He was director of the School of Journalism at Penn State University from 1957 until 1969, and taught journalism there for 30 years. His specialties in teaching were investigative reporting, newspaper editing, and journalism ethics. His textbook, "Groping for Ethics in Journalism", won the Frank Luther Mott Kappa Tau Alpha Award for the best researched book about journalism published in 1983.

Before going to Penn State, Gene worked as a reporter and political columnist for the Washington Star, as writer-editor for the Associated Press, and as a copy editor for the Baltimore Sun. He earned BA and MA degrees in journalism and political science at the University of Iowa, where he met Frances Jean Prudhon and married her in 1943 before going to England to serve as a navigator on B-17s in the 8th Air Force. He was discharged in 1945 as a first lieutenant, having won the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as an Air Medal.

After his retirement from Penn State, where he was honored with a Distinguished Master Teacher award in 1980, Gene and his wife moved to Mount Dora, FL, where they became ardent lawn bowlers. They co-edited The Mount Dora Lawn Bowler, a newsletter they started for members of the Mount Dora Lawn Bowling Club in 1994. In 2002, Gene became editor of Bowls USA, the official magazine of the United States Lawn Bowls Association. In 2007, they moved to Reading, PA to live with their daughter Geri Huey, and then in 2010 moved to the Keystone Villa assisted living home in Douglassville, PA.

Born in Council Bluffs, IA, December 19th 1922, he is survived by his wife, Frances, and by four children, two grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. The children are Geri Huey of Reading, PA, Susan Havens of State College, PA, and Gibson Goodwin and Michael Goodwin, both of Wimberley TX. The grandchildren are Kristyn Lederer, with great-grandchildren Zane, Annika, and Ridge Lederer, of Pennsburg, PA, and Derek Huey, with great-grandchildren Caleb and Mila Huey, of Royersford, PA.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, Gene requested that donations be made to the scholarship fund he and Fran had established to aid disadvantaged journalism students at Penn State: The Gene and Fran Goodwin Journalism Scholarship External Relations Office of the College of Communications Penn State University, 301 James Building 123 South Burrowes St., State College, PA 16801.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.