Richard Godfrey's Obituary
March 22, 1930 – Feb. 22, 2009 Resident of Union City Richard S. Godfrey, husband, father, grandfather, retired Navy senior chief, registered nurse and Oakland Temple worker, died Feb. 22, 2009. He was 78. He was a longtime resident of Union City. Richard was born March 22, 1930, in Logan, Utah. He was first born child of H. Elbert and Abbie Godfrey, who farmed in Clarkston, Utah. In 1940, Richard moved with his family to a farm near Blackfoot, Idaho. In 1948 at age 17, Richard quit high school even though he was at the top of his class academically. His mother signed for him to join the U.S. Navy, where he served for the next 22 years. He retired as a senior chief hospital corpsman. Richard met Clare Carr while serving as a Navy recruiter in Chicago. They were married in LaGrange, Ill, on June 18, 1955. Among his permanent stations in the Navy were Seattle, San Diego, Sasebo, Japan, Groton, Conn., and Pearl Harbor, HI. He also served aboard ship, including on the submarines USS Tunny and the USS Cusk. He as the sole medic on board the submarines. Richard and Clare made their home in Union City where he retired from the Navy. He earned a degree from California State-Hayward and became a registered nurse and a certified occupational health nurse. He worked as a medical officer for the New United Motors, Inc., the United Can Co. and the Santa Rita Jail. He was an active member of the Union City Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a high priest, a teacher and a bishopric member. He served for years as a worker in the church’s Oakland Temple. He had a lifelong love of learning and was particularly interested in Mormon history. He became an expert on Samuel Brannan and gave lectures in the Bay Area on Brannan and his relationship with the Mormon Church. He is survived by his wife, Clare; sons Frederick of Alameda, Michael of Hayward and Stephen of Union City; six grandchildren; three brothers and three sisters. His parents and a brother and a sister preceded him in death. Please join the family for services honoring Richard’s life beginning with a visitation from 5:00 to 8:30 pm on Thursday, February 26, 2009 at Chapel of the Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA, 94544. A funeral service will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ LDS, 34201 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City, CA 94587 on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 11:00 am. Chapel of the Chimes (510) 471-3363
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