Jonathan Goodier Jr

August 2, 1926 - February 11, 2023

Jonathan Goodier passed away at home on Saturday, February 11. It was a long life, well lived!

Jonathan was born August 2,1926 at San Mateo’s Mills Hospital to Jonathan and Margaret (Tubman) Goodier and raised in San Mateo. He graduated from San Mateo High in 1944, and while attending San Mateo Junior College, was drafted into the US Army and served in a Philippines . After the War, Jonathan graduated from San Mateo Junior College (1948) and earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley (1950). He played basketball for both schools.

Jonathan’s entire career was with the Guy F. Atkinson Construction Company. He served as Project Manager of numerous dams, power plants, bridges, and highway projects from California to New York and from Canada to Venezuela. He served as a Vice President and a Director on the Atkinson

Company Board of Directors. He took great pride in his construction accomplishments, particularly the building of Guri Dam in Venezuela, which, at the time, was the largest earth-filled dam in the world – stretching over one mile across. He earned one of the highest honors in the world of Engineering when he was awarded the Golden Beaver Award in l984.

Jonathan met his wife, Patricia, in 1950. They were married on April Fool’s Day in 1951 and were blessed with three children, Susan, David, and Stephanie. They moved over 30 times during their marriage, from one construction project to another. She preceded him in death in 1992. Upon retirement, Jonathan returned to San Mateo County to live out the remainder of his 96 ½ years.

In his later years, Jonathan led a rich life, pursuing passions such as wine, bread baking, pasta making, beekeeping, service to the Burlingame United Methodist Church, and nurturing and showing prize winning roses.

In 1993 he married Lucille Bunstock. She survives him along with his three children from his first marriage. He also leaves behind 8 grandchildren, 8 greatgrandchildren.

Jonathan was loved by many. He was a principled man who didn’t like a lot of foolishness, but his integrity, incredible work ethic, strong faith and moral principles, and generous spirit left an impression wherever he went. Even strangers quickly became friends. His true wealth was his generous heart.

Jonathan is now at peace, joining his first wife and generations of family before him. He requested no services.

If you wish to make a donation to honor of him, please consider donating to the San Mateo County Rose Society or the Beekeepers’ Guild of San Mateo County.